$50,000 of jewels thrown out with the rubbish

Aug 30, 2011 |

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An Australian man has pleaded with his local council to sift through their rubbish tips on Tuesday after accidentally throwing out $50,000 (US$53,000) of his wife's jewellery.

The man, who only wanted to be known as Geoff, said the uninsured haul was stored in plastic bags to fool potential robbers but they were mistakenly tossed into wheelie bins outside his house last week in a pre-move clean-up.

"We're moving house, and I told the kids to give me any garbage lying around for me to throw out," he told the Brisbane Courier-Mail newspaper.

"My wife rang me up when I was at work and said: 'Where are the bags?'

"You know that sick feeling you get? Wow."

The collection included charm bracelets, bangles and pure gold bars.

Sunshine Coast Regional Council spokesman Gary Reeve told reporters there was little hope of finding the jewels with their tips receiving thousands of tonnes of rubbish every week.

Geoff said his wife had taken it well but his mates were not so forgiving.

"They keep ringing me up and saying 'Hey mate, the price of gold has just gone up'.

"I'm like -- shut up will ya?"

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