Collecting Scrap, Found a Treadmill Worth 48 Million Won... The Person Who Returned It

Elderly Dementia Patient's Pension Discarded Without Family's Knowledge
Police Award Thank You Plaque to Informant... Owner Also Receives 10% Reward Fee

A man in his 70s who collected scrap metal discovered a bundle of cash while dismantling an abandoned treadmill and reported it to the police, helping to find the owner. The money was revealed to be a national merit pension hidden by a man in his 90s suffering from dementia.

According to the Ansan Sangnok Police Station in Gyeonggi Province on the 9th, a report was received at 3:51 p.m. on the 7th stating, "There is a bundle of money inside the treadmill."

Bundles of cash found inside a treadmill discarded at a recycling station in an apartment complex in Sangnok-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi Province on the 7th.
[Photo by Gyeonggi Nambu Police Agency]

The reporter was Jeon Jang-pyo (70), who was collecting scrap metal at the recycling center of the apartment complex. Jeon said he discovered the bundle of cash inside while dismantling the discarded treadmill.

Two officers from the Bonno Police Substation of the Ansan Sangnok Police Station confirmed that the discovered cash consisted of 975 bills of 50,000 won notes, totaling 48.75 million won.

To find the owner of the cash, the police analyzed CCTV footage near the recycling center and identified a woman who, along with a man, had discarded the treadmill there.

A person discarding a treadmill worth 48 million won.
[Photo by Gyeonggi Nambu Police Agency]

Upon visiting the woman’s home, it was confirmed that she was Ms. A, in her 60s, and the cash belonged to her father, Mr. B, in his 90s. Mr. B, who suffered from dementia, had withdrawn his national merit pension and stored it inside the treadmill at home.

It was reported that Mr. B had occasionally told his family, “I put money in the treadmill,” and one day the family dismantled the treadmill to check. However, they failed to find the cash because they only disassembled parts where no money was stored at the time.

Ms. A’s family, who nearly lost a large sum of money, was able to safely recover it thanks to Jeon’s report and the police’s prompt action.

On the 9th, Bin Jung-gyu, Chief of Ansan Sangnok Police Station, presented a letter of appreciation to Jeon Jang-pyo.
[Photo by Ansan Sangnok Police Station]

Ms. A’s side decided to pay Jeon 4.875 million won, which is 10% of the lost cash amount. According to Article 4 of the Lost Property Act, the person receiving the returned item must pay the finder a reward ranging from 5% to 20% of the item’s value.

Accordingly, the police awarded Jeon a letter of appreciation that day. Jeon repeatedly declined the award but accepted it after police persuasion. He said, “I was surprised to see the bundle of 50,000 won bills, but I thought it was only right to find the owner and immediately reported it to the police,” adding, “I’m glad the money’s owner was found.”