After working on radical and time-consuming home renovations, a lucky couple had finally reached their last room, the basement. As they worked on clearing out the room, they discovered something that would change their lives forever. This was the first discovery of many which would lead them to uncover a startling truth.
Labor
The unrenovated basement had warped wooden beams supporting an unstable ceiling. As it was, the room looked as if not much could be made of it. Little did they know they were about to unearth a life-changing item.
Couple Under FBI Scrutiny After They Discover A Vintage Suitcase
A Hiding Place
They noticed something wedged in the rafters and stopped work to determine what the object could be. It appeared to be an old suitcase that had been jammed hastily into the ceiling to hide it. The two were curious as to what could be inside it. They were about to make a discovery that would have far-reaching implications.
A Hiding Place
The Hidden Object
The case they had discovered was green and small but heavy, increasing their curiosity as to what it may contain. As they made guesses as to the contents, they realized that they should not open it in the house, in case the contents were harmful to them or their home. Another thought crossed their minds. As it turned out, they should have probably opened it indoors after all.
The Hidden Object
Guesswork
Finding the suitcase was a welcome distraction from the hard work of renovating and to prolong their anticipation, before learning about the contents, they decided to try and outguess each other. They imagined finding old pictures, or valuable documents or antiquities. They would need to open the case now, to find out.
Guesswork
Wrapped Up Enigma
Their first glimpse of the contents upon opening the case was wax paper wrapped around three rectangular objects that did not look that unique. Their initial disappointment would evaporate instantly when they learned exactly what was inside all that wrapping. They ripped away from the paper and saw what was about to change the course of their lives.
Wrapped Up Enigma
Hoards Of Money
Inside just one of the three bundles was stack upon stack of twenty-dollar bills, minted prior to the bills we use today. The homeowner later told the media that there were a couple of thousand in just the first parcel. They were shocked that this happened to them. In fact, they thought they were being pranked. This kind of stuff only happens in movies! There were still another two of the wrapped bundles to open.
Hoards Of Money
A Windfall
To their amazement, the second parcel contained fifty dollar bills and the third, hundred dollar bills. The bills appeared to be from the 1920s or 1930s, and they were completely blown away and found it hard to grasp what they were seeing, with countless questions running through their heads. How old was this suitcase, where did it come from, and could there be any more hidden in their home? They would get answers to their questions soon.
A Windfall
Archived News Reports
Under the cash in the case, they found a clue to the origins of the contents. It was a copy of The Cleveland Plain-Dealer newspaper dated March 25, 1951. That meant the case had been hidden for 65 years. The next thought that crossed their minds, was how much would this old currency be worth in today’s terms?
Archived News Reports
The Proceeds
The couple quickly hired a lawyer who was able to tell them that the cache comprised ‘star bills’ that had never been in circulation and that all the bills had been printed over 70 years ago. He advised them that the value today would be $23,000. The couple posted a message on Reddit, sharing the news, expecting this to be the end of their run of good luck. In reality, lady luck was just getting started.
The Proceeds
Yet Another Find
As their elation at their good fortune wore off, they got back to work on their renovations. The husband could not believe his eyes when he uncovered yet another suitcase. Both he and his wife fervently hoped that the contents would be the same as the first, but they didn’t get their hopes up yet. A thought surfaced, their house had been built in the 1940s, what if there we more hidden discoveries to be made? Could this be just the beginning of a treasure hunt? They were about to find out.
Yet Another Find
The Second Reveal
As the husband waited for his wife to get home from work, so they could open it together, he took photos of the side of the case. They were identical, and he hoped this meant the contents were too. How fantastic would it be if the second case was also filled with cash. On the other hand, it could just as well be empty.
The Second Reveal
Lovely Lolly
Together, they opened the latch and lifted the lid. This time, there weren’t any wax paper wrappings. Instead, neatly grouped, stacked bills were revealed. This was a serious amount of money! That night they found it difficult to get to sleep, both of their minds buzzing with thoughts about their finds and the secrets their home seemed to contain.
Lovely Lolly
Financial Freedom
The second case contained even more money than the first. They were now $45,000 richer. They didn’t want to blow the whole amount on excessive stuff, but they felt very lucky and they committed to using some of their windfall to improve their home. Although they didn’t know it yet, this find would lead to even more luck and deepen the secrets held within the walls of their home. It would also attract the attention of the FBI. After all, it is a little dodgy finding all that money in green tin suitcases in walls of a house, who knows if the money was the proceeds of a crime committed long ago…
Financial Freedom
Hidden Access
After their home yielded such incredible finds, the couple decided to search the entire building, exploring areas they may have overlooked whilst renovating. They found a hidden passage behind a service grate that led to a small room. Not a utility room either. This room would reveal the biggest find so far…
Hidden Access
Mystery Room
What they noticed on entering the hidden room, was that it was big enough for several people to enter it, there were layered carpets on the floor and vintage light fittings hung from the ceiling. They felt a strange sense of unease. The room had not been disturbed for decades, what had it been used for?
Mystery Room
Further Clues
Whilst the couple had been excited to discover the secrets that their home was revealing, they were feeling a bit uneasy. The husband told his wife to stay back as he went deeper into the room. On the back wall was another door, but this one was padlocked shut. He felt hesitant about taking a look behind it.
Further Clues
Breaking In
Despite his foreboding, he knew he had to get the door open. He had renovation tools that would make short work of the lock. His entry into the room would result in him uncovering a heinous past event.
Breaking In
Very Weird
The couple’s past finds had been fun and exciting, but it appeared, now, that they had been living in the house for years, not knowing anything about the secrets it held. On top of this, the secret room was very strange as it was soundproofed and covered in a tarp. He also saw vintage artifacts from a past era. He felt goosebumps as he wondered just what on earth this room had been used for.
Very Weird
The Findings
The husband soon saw an old brown briefcase, the contents of which would be life-changing. At that point in time, he only wondered if the case would contain more money or perhaps something unpleasant, or even something more valuable than they could ever have imagined.
The Findings
Vintage Artifacts
Without further ado, the couple opened the case. Inside was a treasure trove of vintage jewelry. Two old watches, two rings, four silver bars and envelopes stuffed with foreign currency. Who would have left such valuable items hidden in the walls and the secret room in the house? They were about to find out.
Vintage Artifacts
Secreted Strong Box
In a dark corner of the hidden room, they found a safe. They wondered what would be in the safe, seeing as the previous owner had not put any of the money or jewelry in it. Seeing as jewellery and money had already been found, the couple wondered what could be in a further safe in a secret room. There was a growing sense of foreboding now, although still very exciting, about their discoveries in their home.
Secreted Strong Box
A Warning
The husband used his tools to force the safe open. The first thing that he saw was a piece of paper bearing the words ‘save yourself.’ The chilling message frightened the couple. Was this a joke? Somehow, they felt the warning was meant for them. The situation would, in fact, deteriorate to the extent that the FBI had to become involved.
A Warning
Further Warnings
The husband dug around further and found a second note saying: ‘Do not’. He now felt extremely uncomfortable and upon catching sight of old videotapes beneath the notes, dread began to seep into his heart. This could only mean that the person who placed the tapes in the safe, never wanted another soul to see them. The homeowner slowly started removing the tapes from the safe whilst pondering on whether to watch them or not. A part of his mind screamed at him to get away from the contents of the safe and leave everything alone.
Further Warnings
Revealing the Facts
The tapes themselves appeared to be even older than the discoveries they had already made in the house. They did not reveal what was recorded on them, and the labeling was not consistent. Some were labeled with 194, 1195 or IV, 95 or just V. At this point, the couple had decided to stop delving deeper into the mystery of the findings in their home. Yet they knew they would not be able forget about the tapes or to rest until they had resolved the issue.
Revealing The Facts
Recorded History
The temptation proved to be too strong, and the husband gave in and watched the tapes on his VCR. After pressing ‘play’ and seeing the images on the screen, he knew it was time to notify the authorities about their situation. What he saw, will never be made public, but suffice it to say, he will never erase those images from his mind.
Recorded History
FBI Investigates
As the first viewer of the tapes in decades. the man did not watch more than a small portion of the first tape. He stopped immediately and placed a call to the FBI. On arrival, the FBI agents removed all the tapes and began their top-secret investigation. The couple had to halt all renovation work for the duration of the case and had FBI agents in and out of their home constantly. No information has ever been revealed to the media or public and all we can do is create hypothesis as to the contents of the tapes. In fact, it seems this will always be a mystery wrapped in an enigma.
FBI Investigates
The Authorities’ Reaction
The couple must have been overwhelmed when after calling the FBI, their quiet neighborhood and the home were suddenly overrun with police cars, FBI agents and fire trucks. It seemed the authorities were taking their find very seriously and had no time for niceties. They stormed into the home and removed all evidence pertinent to the case. It seemed as if the owners didn’t have a say in anything now.
The Reaction From Authorities
Collecting Evidence
The couple themselves were taken in for questioning and interviewed for hours. Back at their house, the agents focused their search on the basement and even dug holes in the garden in their quest to turn up evidence. All the while, they remained close-lipped and told the couple nothing. No explanation regarding the tapes has ever been forthcoming from the FBI.
Collecting Evidence