Police have been left stumped by bundles of cash that keep turning up in a small village.
In the last five years, residents have handed in mysterious cash bundles a total of 12 times - and police still don't know where they are coming from.
The bundles are almost always made up of £20 notes totalling £2,000 and are left in plain sight in the County Durham village of Blackhall Colliery.
The latest discovery was made yesterday (November 18) and police have now thanked villagers for their honesty in handing over the cash over the years.
Officers are asking the public for any information they have on the origins of the cash bundles, which have been found four times this year so far.
Detective Constable John Forster, of Peterlee CID, said the team had interviewed numerous people and organisations in the village as well as carrying out checks with the local bank and post office.
Officers had even tested for fingerprints - but the circumstances surrounding the bundles of money remain a mystery.
He said: “These bundles are always left in plain sight such as on pavements and discovered by random members of the public who have handed them in.
“This is the fourth bundle handed in this year.
“This could be the work of a Good Samaritan but we would like to thank the residents who have shown incredible community spirit by handing the money in.
“The circumstances remain a mystery so we would welcome any information that will help us get to the bottom of these random incidents."
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He also said the money goes back to the person that found it if nobody claims it within a certain period of time.
Anyone with information is asked to call Durham Police on 101 and ask to speak to DC Forster.
