A woman in Changhua County, Taiwan, went through a nerve-wracking ordeal after mistakenly discarding a box containing her gold jewellery and gemstones, only to be saved by the persistence of the local cleaning team.
Jewellery Mistaken for Trash
The incident occurred in Xihu Township when the woman accidentally placed her jewellery box — which held two taels of gold ornaments and gemstones collected over more than a decade — into a rubbish bag. The bag was later picked up by a garbage truck, sparking panic once she realised her mistake.
Desperate, she immediately contacted the township office for help. Township mayor He Binghua confirmed that the call for assistance came in just after 6pm, and he instructed the cleaning crew to act quickly before the items were lost for good.
Cleaning Team Empties Entire Truckload
The garbage truck was brought back to the depot, where four sanitation workers began the painstaking process of unloading the entire vehicle’s contents. With the help of local residents, they sifted through bags of refuse for nearly an hour before finally spotting the woman’s belongings.
The woman, visibly relieved, identified her bag and confirmed the recovered jewellery. Overcome with gratitude, she repeatedly thanked the workers and apologised for the inconvenience caused.
A Reminder To Safeguard Valuables
Mayor He praised the cleaning team for putting public service above schedule, even though the operation delayed normal waste collection. He also reminded residents to exercise extra care when disposing of rubbish, stressing the importance of keeping valuable or sentimental items securely stored.
For the woman, the recovered jewellery was more than just precious metal — it carried years of memories and emotional significance. Thanks to the swift action of the cleaning team, her irreplaceable keepsakes were returned intact.