Falmouth police issued a warning Monday for people not to eat frozen turkeys that were placed in a dumpster behind the Hannaford supermarket in West Falmouth.

In a statement posted on Facebook, the police department said the turkeys had to be tossed in the dumpster after a mechanical failure thawed the birds.

“Someone has actually removed these turkeys from the dumpster and thought it would be a great idea to redistribute them. It’s not a good idea, it’s a very bad idea. These turkeys were discarded because they were a hazard to consume,” Falmouth police wrote.

Police said that anyone who acquired a turkey from a stranger should throw it away.

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