Around 9:30 on 8/9, Nguyen Thi Mui, residing in Khu pho 41, Hiep Binh ward, discovered a paper bag while collecting scrap. Inside were several jewelry boxes containing 15 rings, two necklaces, one bracelet, and one pendant, all made of gold.
Mui brought all the valuable items to Hiep Binh Ward Police, reporting the find and requesting assistance in verifying and returning them to the owner.
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The gold jewelry Mui found in the paper bag among the trash on 8/9. *Photo: Hiep Binh Ward Police* |
Nguyen Van Dung, a Hiep Binh Ward Police officer directly handling the case, stated that one of the jewelry boxes contained a receipt with the buyer's name. Using this clue, local police searched the national population database but found dozens of people with the same name. Authorities then narrowed down the search to residents in Khu pho 41, visiting each address for verification.
When questioned, the family of Tran Thi Thuy Van, 34 years old, confirmed they had recently lost some jewelry. Van recounted that while cleaning her house, she accidentally put the bag of gold in a trash bag and discarded it. Upon realizing the mistake, her family assumed the valuable items were lost among the city's refuse and did not attempt to search for them.
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Nguyen Thi Mui (far right) during the return of the gold to Van (in white shirt) at Hiep Binh Ward Police station, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. *Photo: Contributed* |
Police asked Van to declare the quantity, characteristics of the jewelry, and any accompanying items. The information provided perfectly matched the assets Mui had handed over. On the same day, both parties were invited to the police station to complete the return procedures.
Upon receiving the gold, Van expressed her gratitude to Mui and the authorities. "Despite her advanced age, difficult circumstances, and reliance on collecting scrap, Mui did not succumb to greed when faced with such valuable assets. Her actions are truly commendable", Dung said.
Following the incident, the ward police, in coordination with Khu pho 41's "3-in-1" task force and Van, visited Mui, presenting her with 10 million dong and 10 kg of rice.
Ngoc Ngan
