Man Finds Almost £130,000 In Cash In Kitchen Cabinets Bought From Ebay

A man who bought some second-hand kitchen cabinets from eBay was shocked to discover €150,000 stashed away in one of the cupboards. 

Thomas Heller, from Bitterfield in Germany, bought the cabinets from an elderly couple’s estate on the auction site and was even able to negotiate the price from €300 (£253) to €240 (£203).  

But after bagging his bargain, the 50-year-old was shocked to discover two cash boxes hidden away inside one of the oak veneer cupboards. 

Inside the cash boxes, Heller discovered a secret stash of cash totalling €150,000 (£126,166), which has seemingly been placed there and forgotten all about. 

Newsflash

Heller, who is managing director of a social housing project, told local news: "One [envelope] was open and a lot of €100 bills were looking at me."

But rather than attempt to pocket the unexpected cash, the honest buyer went to a nearby police station to hand it in. 

He added: "They opened the second, locked cupboard in front of my eyes. There were larger bills in the envelopes. Two hundred, five hundred."

Amazed by the amount of money and the man's honesty, police took the case to the district court and began an investigation to find the kitchen's original owner.

Newsflash

Police spokesperson Astrid Kuchta said: "The kitchen came from a household liquidation by an elderly couple from Halle."

The investigation revealed that the money belonged to a 91-year-old woman from the city of Halle, who was nursed in a retirement home after her husband passed away.

Kuchta said that the buyer had bought the kitchen from a service provider who sold it on behalf of the previous owner and added: "The two cash boxes were well hidden in areas of the furniture that were difficult to see."

The seller was actually the grandson of the late couple, who told local media that he had no idea about the money hidden inside. 

Newsflash

Under German law it’s an offence to keep found cash totalling €10 (£8.41) or more - as it's classed legally as embezzlement. Offenders can face up to three years in prison. 

However, Heller’s decision to come clean about the cash did mean he was eligible for a three percent finder’s fee, earning him a comfortable €4,500 (£3,784). 

As yet, Heller hasn’t decided how to spend his windfall.