Elderly woman's fortune saved from landfill by quick search
An elderly woman from Treviso in northern Italy nearly lost her substantial savings when her caregiver mistakenly threw out an old mattress in which she had hidden $53,000 in cash and valuables. Fortunately, the carabinieri and Civil Defense were quick to intervene.
9:19 AM EDT, October 28, 2024
The newspaper "Il Messaggero" reports that the woman's caregiver, who resides in Montebelluna in the Veneto region, found an old, worn-out mattress while cleaning the garage. Not knowing its significance and without consulting the elderly woman, who wasn't involved in the cleaning, the caregiver decided to dispose of the mattress at a nearby landfill.
This seemingly reasonable decision led to unexpected consequences. The elderly woman had stored her life savings, credit cards, and family jewels in the mattress—valued at approximately $53,000. Upon realizing the mattress was gone, she panicked and informed her daughter about the missing money and jewelry.
Carabinieri's reaction
The woman's daughter promptly reported the situation to the carabinieri. Within minutes, the carabinieri, aided by Civil Defense volunteers and landfill workers, searched for the mattress. In the end, they located it in a container designated for bulky waste. The mattress's valuable contents were intact and successfully returned to the relieved owner.
