Nguyen Thi Mui discovered the paper bag at around 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 8 while sorting through discarded items in Neighborhood 41, Hiep Binh Ward.
Inside were several jewelry boxes containing 15 rings, two necklaces, a bracelet and a pendant, all made of gold.
Mui brought the bag to Hiep Binh Ward Police, reported the discovery and asked officers to help find the owner.
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The gold jewelry Mui found in a paper bag in the trash on Sept. 8, 2026. Photo courtesy of Hiep Binh Ward Police |
Nguyen Van Dung, the police officer handling the case, said one of the jewelry boxes contained a receipt bearing the buyer’s name.
Police used the name to search the National Population Database but found dozens of matching records. They then narrowed the search to people living in Neighborhood 41 and visited addresses to verify their identities.
Officers eventually learned that jewelry had recently gone missing from the home of Tran Thi Thuy Van, 34.
Van said she had accidentally placed the bag with household trash while cleaning and later threw it away. By the time she realized her mistake, her family believed the jewelry had already disappeared into the city’s waste system and did not attempt to recover it.
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Nguyen Thi Mui, far right, and Tran Thi Thuy Van, in a white shirt, attend the handover of the gold at the Hiep Binh Ward police station in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo courtesy of the subjects |
Nguyen Thi Mui, far right, and Tran Thi Thuy Van, in a white shirt, attend the handover of the gold at Hiep Binh Ward police station in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo courtesy of the subjects
Police asked Van to describe the number and identifying features of the jewelry, as well as the items stored with it. Her account matched the property Mui had handed over.
The two women were then invited to the police station the same day to complete the procedures for returning the jewelry.
After receiving her property, Van thanked Mui and the police.
“Despite her advanced age and difficult circumstances, and despite collecting recyclables for a living, Mui was not tempted to keep such valuable property. Her actions are highly commendable,” Dung said.
Mui received VND10 million (US$380) and 10 kilograms of rice as gifts.