An Iraqi family living in Germany were pleasantly surprised when they stumbled upon two old sewing machines by the side of the road, just as they were in need of homemade coronavirus masks.
But the real surprise was lurking inside one of the machines: 1,000 euros ($1,085) in cash, stashed there by the previous owner and forgotten about.
"We immediately called the police who tracked down the owner," 21-year-old Sherzad Ahmed told Agence France Presse Monday. "He was very, very happy."
The feelgood story happened in the small German town of Morsbach last Wednesday, local police said in a statement.
The 56-year-old owner had hidden the money in the sewing machine when he was visiting Christmas markets as a travelling salesman last year before forgetting all about the "secret hiding place", police said.
Ahmed, who came to Germany with his parents and two sisters four years ago, said they never considered keeping the cash.
"No, no, no," he laughed, adding that the owner had rewarded the honest finders with 200 euros.
Ahmed's father repaired the machines and his mother, who works in an old people's home, has been churning out masks ever since.
