PLOT OF GOLD...
Couple find treasure in back garden
A COUPLE who thought they had unearthed an old cable box in their back garden were stunned to find it contained £38,000 of treasure.
Matthew and Maria Emanuel found the rusting metal box buried in mud at their home. It turned out to be a stolen safe.
Its contents included bags stuffed with gold, diamonds and jade, plus wads of wet $100 bank notes.
Matthew said: “I thought, ‘We found buried treasure’.
“There are all these bags with hundreds [dollar bills] and jewellery, diamonds, engagement rings, dozens of rings, gold with jade.
“It was stunning. We were freaked out. It’s something you can’t make up.”
A note inside one of the bags had an address written on it which the Emanuels linked to one of their neighbours on Staten Island, New York City.
Matthew said: “We realised it must’ve been them, so Monday morning I knocked on their door.”
The neighbours said they were burgled seven years ago. Police confirmed the safe was stolen in a 2011 Boxing Day raid.
Matthew said of its owner, who declined to comment but was said to be thrilled: “She was, like, shaking and hugging me.”
Maria added: “A couple of people asked us, ‘Why return it?’ It wasn’t even a question. It wasn’t ours.”
They did not get a cash reward but Matthew believes they will be repaid in “good karma”. Staten Island District Attorney’s Office could not say who was behind the burglary.