Bundle of W3m found in discarded bedding returned to family of deceased octogenarian

A bundle of 3 million won ($2,140) found wrapped inside a discarded comforter in a standard waste bag has been returned to its rightful owner, thanks to the quick actions of a sanitation worker and police.

The cash had belonged to a resident in their 80s who had hidden the money inside the bedding before dying recently. The family, unaware of the hidden cash, accidentally threw it out while sorting through the deceased's belongings.

According to Dalseo-gu, sanitation worker Ko, 49, discovered the bundle of cash inside a comforter stuffed in a large standard waste bag while collecting garbage at an apartment complex in Duryu-dong, Dalseo-gu, on Monday morning.

Ko had pulled the comforter out of the bag to shake off rainwater when he found the money. The cash consisted of 40 bills in 50,000-won denominations and 100 bills in 10,000-won denominations, all bound with rubber bands.

Ko, a fellow sanitation worker and an apartment security guard immediately took the money to the Duryu 3-dong police substation.

Officer Lee Jae-jin, 44, and Sergeant Lee Mun-ik, 43, who received the lost property report, concluded the cash likely belonged to a resident of the complex based on a utility bill found discarded alongside it, and began searching for the owner.

After making inquiries, police managed to contact the presumed owner's family.

Police confirmed the money had belonged to a resident in their 80s who died in July. The family had been unaware that a bundle of cash was hidden inside the comforter when they threw it out while clearing the deceased's belongings.

"We will continue to do our best to return lost property to its rightful owners," a police official said.