Doctors Quarantine Man’s House Because Of A Rock He Found

Taking A Walk

It all started in the spring of 2016. Steven Whitten and his wife, Viola, were walking along Middleton Sands. This was their favorite stretch of beach in Lancashire, England. The beach had stunning views of the Irish Sea and was just a stone’s throw away from their home. They lived in the village of Overton.

Taking A Walk

Favorite Spot

While Middleton Sands is a rather popular place among hikers and dog owners, Steven and Viola enjoyed walking along a less popular area. They didn’t like the idea of being surrounded by people when they were trying to relax.

Favorite Spot

Something Was Off

They were soaking in the view when Steven started noticing a weird, acrid smell in the air. Little did the two know that they were about to stumble across something that would change their lives.

Something Was Off

Curious Couple

The odor was somewhat of a rotting fish. They had never experienced something like it before. Even though they were put off by the smell, they were eager to know what it was. They continued walking and noticed a greyish lump slightly smaller than a rugby ball.

Curious Couple

Strange Rock

The couple followed the bad smell right to its source. Lying washed up on the beach was a weird and odorous rock. It was around the size of a football. It seems to have been worth smooth by years of being pummelled by the waves. What did the couple find?

Strange Rock

Curious

Steven reached out, touching the rock gingerly. He had read about weird beach finds in the past, especially in the area. However, he’d never heard of anything like this being found. His curiosity had piqued.

Curious

Distinct Odor

He examined the smell but concluded that he had never experienced anything like it before. The small was so terrible, but also very distinct. “It was like a cross between squid and farmyard manure,” he said.

Distinct Odor

Jackpot

The couple always dreamed of the day that they would strike gold and become rich. Maybe that day wasn’t too far off. What began as a normal day, changed completely and they never even saw it coming.

Jackpot

The Next Step

The couple pondered what to do with the rock. Would they leave it there because of its horrific odor or would they take it home? This was not an easy decision. Hmm, what do you think they decided to do?

The Next Step

Taking A Chance

Well, this couple was not going to give up just yet. Like, we said, they always wanted to strike rich and there was a chance that this find could be valuable. So they took their chances. They hoped it would be worth a lot of money and help them buy a static caravan

Taking A Chance

Taking It Home

He picked up the rock and wrapped it in Viola’s scarf. He wanted to make sure it stayed safe. He did not want anyone to see what he had found. Steven couldn’t wait to go online and find out if his suspicions were true.

Taking It Home

Getting Help

As soon as they got home, Steven used his fisherman’s scales to weigh the bizarre lump. The reading said 3.5 pounds, which excited him and his wife. He knew that he needed some help if he was going to get to the bottom of this.

Getting Help

Ideas Forming

He decided to turn to a community group on Facebook. Posting a picture of the “rock” online, the post was soon flooded with comments to read. Just wait till you see what happened next.

Ideas Forming

Could It Be A Meteor?

People were quick to respond, and many had very farfetched ideas. Some people speculated that it was a piece of volcanic rock that originated deep in the ocean. Others claimed it looked like a meteor.

Could It Be A Meteor

The Possibilities Were Endless

One amateur meteorologist quickly suggested that Steven try the “magnet test” to find out for sure. This guy was convinced that he was right, but it turned out that they were all very wrong…

The Possibilities Were Endless

Unidentified

“It feels like a rock-hard rubber ball, its texture is like wax, like a candle. When you touch it, you get wax sticking to your fingers,” Steven explained later in an interview. What could this be?

Unidentified

Panic Levels High

However, what was it about the strange “rock” that would cause such a stir in the Whitten home? After Steven held the object against a magnet, he knew it was finally time to panic. We are starting to get nervous too…

Panic Levels High

Staying Cautious

At this point, he was a bit nervous to continue. It was him and his wife experimenting with an unknown rock they found on the beach. They had no clue whether it was dangerous and could harm them in any way. He had to be careful.

Staying Cautious

What Is The Magnet Test?

The magnet test is the best way to test if something is authentic gold. Fake gold will always attract magnets. The use of the magnet allows people to uncover the actual material that they have discovered.

What Is The Magnet Test@

Phone Call

The “magnet test” had confirmed that the “rock” didn’t contain any iron. So what does this mean? This meant that it was not a meteorite. Steven has yet to find an explanation for the object’s foul smell.

Phone Call

Things Were Picking Up

He concluded that he had no idea what he was handling. He didn’t even know if it was dangerous. And so, he made a quick phone call. Then, the men in protective suits arrived at his house.

Things Were Picking Up

Seeking Experts

At this point, it was clear that he did not know what he was dealing with. While people online certainly helped, this was something out of his control. He needed to request the help of experts, and that is actually what he did. But what till you see what happened next.

Seeking Experts

Quarantined

Two officials arrived at the house and cordoned it off right away. Then, they went inside to dispose of the substance safely while Steven and Viola stood outside giving them instructions. They waited patiently.

Quarantined

Getting To The Bottom Of It

The so-called “rock” that they found was stationed inside a box on the dining room table. After careful examination, the officials came back out and gave the frightened couple the news. This was completely shocking.

Getting To The Bottom Of It

At A Loss

Steven held his wife close as he waited patiently to try and understand what the mystery was all about. He couldn’t help but think the worst. The “rock” was so strange looking and the expressions on the officials did not make it any easier for him.

At A Loss

True Identity

When the officials told Steven that the item he picked up wasn’t hazardous, he breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t a piece of waste that was tossed on the beach. However, when the officials told him what the “rock” actually was, his eyes widened in shock. They told him that while they’re extremely rare, hunks of ambergris wash up on the shore occasionally. What is ambergris?

True Identity

Ambergris

It turns out that ambergris was a highly coveted substance for centuries. It’s known for its terrible smell – “like a cross between squid and farmyard manure” – but its odor becomes sweeter over time. This substance has been used in expensive perfumes for hundreds of years. Some historians have even gone as far as believing the substance to be edible.

Ambergris

Whale By-Product

Ambergris is a whale by-product. It’s produced in the bile ducts of whales and then it gets excreted. While this sounds pretty nasty, it’s found in nature so rarely that it’s worth a fortune to the right people. Steven and Viola just so happened to stumble across it on a walk on the beach! They couldn’t believe their luck. However, there was a catch.

Whale By Product

Sperm Whales

Only produced by one species of whale, ambergris is solely produced by the sperm whale. They’re found in oceans all around the world, including Britain’s coastal waters. These whales can grow to be 67 feet long and they can weigh over 63 tons. While the sperm whale populations have increased, they weren’t always so prolific.

Sperm Whales

Endangered

Sperm whales were commonly hunted in the past for their blubber. It was used to make anything from candles to soap to machine oil and even pencils. Yes, ambergris was also harvested for its scent. Unfortunately, as many as one million whales were killed in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 1980s, a ban on whaling was passed – it included ambergris.

Endangered

Very Rare

Adding to ambergris’ mystery and rarity is the fact that it’s created very slowly – over the years. It’s also thought that not all sperm whales can produce it. Experts have said that only about 1% of the sperm whale population will produce this substance. Oddly enough, it’s mostly found in the Atlantic Ocean.

Very Rare

Contraband

In most countries, the trade of ambergris has been outlawed. This includes the United States. In America, the illegality of trading ambergris forms just one part on a wider ban on hunting and exploiting whales. Luckily for Steven, in the UK, ambergris is considered to be a waste product. So how much was it worth?

Contraband

Floating Gold

The Whittens were shocked to find out that another lump of ambergris was found on the beach by a man in Morecambe. That wasn’t far from where Steven and Viola found their own. That piece ended up selling for a staggering $155,000! How much would the Whittens get for their piece of “floating gold”?

Floating Gold

Loads Of Cash

The piece of ambergris that was found in Morecambe weighed about 6 pounds. Meaning that it was twice the size of the Whittens’ piece. All the same, that meant that their ambergris could sell for around $65,000! That’s an incredible amount of money for a piece of whale by-product if we do say so ourselves. So, what did the Whittens do with their discovery?

Loads Of Cash

Following Their Dreams

Would the couple choose to settle their debt or pay off their mortgage? Maybe they would go into early retirement? In a perfect example of “British restraint”, Steven told the Daily Mirror, “If it is worth a lot of money, it will go a long way towards buying us a static caravan. It would be a dream come true.”

Following Their Dreams

While in the middle of a home renovation, a couple from Ohio found something odd in their house. They were about to start working on renovating their basement, but they had no idea what would really be in store for them. The first thing they did during their basement renovation included peeling off the plywood from the ceiling. What they found would change their lives.

Demolition In Progress

They were intrigued by the object they found and started looking into matters some more. However, they had no idea they would need to get in touch with the FBI for what they would find.

The FBI Searched Their Home After A Renovation

Chipping Away

From the moment they started their basement renovations, this couple knew that they would be in for a bunch of surprises. The first thing the husband saw was graffiti hiding behind the walls! What they were going to find later, though, would change everything.

Chipping Away

A House Full Of Secrets

The homeowner was a bit taken back by what he found spread across the walls in his basement. The farther he got into his home renovation, though, the more he really wished that this graffiti was the most bizarre thing hiding down there.

A House Full Of Secrets

Stuck In The Ceiling

All of a sudden he realized that there was something stuck right between pillars on the ceiling. He tried to get a close look at what exactly he was staring at, as he had never seen this object before, but it was so perfectly-placed that he couldn’t figure out what it was. It was as if someone had deliberately placed it here. He had to use all of his strength to pull it down.

Stuck In The Ceiling

Found Something Strange

The homeowner documented every part of the home renovation on camera, and later on, he would be very thankful for doing such a thing. He didn’t tend to pay much attention to what was going on around him, he simply kept going with the renovation.

Found Something Strange

Mysterious Suitcase

When he started to rip off the ceiling to renovate, more pieces of the walls started coming down. He noticed something very odd, there was a suitcase stuck up there that he had never seen before. He wasn’t sure what to do with it; did someone leave it?

Mysterious Suitcase

Waiting For The Reveal

The gray and green suitcase was hidden so well that he had no choice but to think that perhaps someone hid it there on purpose. When he went to pick it up, he was blown away by how heavy it was. What could possibly be in there that would make it so heavy?

Waiting For The Reveal

One Heavy Suitcase

He had a gut feeling that there was something very weird in this suitcase. He knew he needed to be cautious with the way he handled it and what he did with it. He took a deep breath and decided he should open it to see what exactly was inside and making it so heavy.

One Heavy Suitcase

The Big Reveal

He called his wife and told her she needed to come home immediately. For starters, he did not want her to miss out on whatever he was about to find, no matter what it was. Secondly, he wanted her to be there just in case something was very much not okay inside of this suitcase.

The Big Reveal

What Could Be Inside?

He was certain that someone hid this suitcase on purpose, but he could not figure out why someone would do this. What were they hiding that was such a big secret? While he waited for his wife to come home, he started to open the suitcase little by little. He just couldn’t believe how heavy it was.

What Could Be Inside?

Big Dreams In A Little Suitcase

The suitcase itself was small in size, but it was incredibly heavy. Someone must have been hiding some big, dark secrets inside of this suitcase. Why else would they put so much effort into hiding it in such a mysterious and secretive place for no one to ever find it?

Big Dreams In A Little Suitcase

Maybe It was Nothing

His imagination was running wild with the possibilities of what could be inside of this suitcase. As soon as his wife walked in through their front door, he explained to her what he found and he told her they needed to open the suitcase right away.

Maybe It Was Nothing

Christmas

He must have felt like it was practically Christmas; he just found a box he wasn’t supposed to and he was opening it without anyone else’s permission! He couldn’t wait to see what was inside, though he was getting more nervous with every moment he waited.

Christmas

What’s Inside?

He wondered if he would find piles of money, old birthday cards, family photos, recipes, or anything else that you would normally store in such a secure place. He had so many ideas of what may be inside of this box, but when he opened it, he realized every thought he had was very far off.

What’s Inside?

Unwrapping The Mystery

At first, when they opened the suitcase, they weren’t really sure what they were looking at. What was so special about this? It was stuff wrapped in wax paper, but they couldn’t yet figure out exactly what this stuff was. They knew they had to keep unwrapping things to find out.

Unwrapping The Mystery

Full of Money

With every piece of wax paper they unwrapped, things were starting to make more sense. They couldn’t believe what they were looking at! What could this be from? Who does it belong to? How could they get it back to this person? They had so many questions but didn’t even know what to do first.

Full of Money

Speechless Over The Money

When he picked up the first bundle of wax paper, he quickly realized he was looking at a big pile of money. He kept unwrapping to see what he would find, and it was a giant stack of 20 dollar bills! What was he supposed to do with this money?

Speechless Over The Money

So Much Cash

The more pieces of wax paper they unwrapped, the more money–including bigger bills–they found. He took a closer look and realized that some of these bills were quite old. He started to really wonder who they belonged to, how they got up here, and how long they had been there.

So Much Cash

And More Money

The husband had absolutely no idea how to react. He and his wife had never found something like this before, especially not something like giant piles of large amounts of money! He had no idea how to react, and he told journalists that he genuinely didn’t know what to do because these sorts of things don’t happen to them.

And More Money

Endless Cash

There were still so many piles of cash that they hadn’t even began to unwrap yet. They wondered if they would find more money in each bundle of wax paper or if they would find something else. Would they find something even more valuable than cash? The husband and wife were so confused by what they were looking at.

Endless Cash

At First, It Was Funny

They expected to find more 20 dollar bills with each bundle of wax paper they unwrapped, but much to their surprise, the bills just kept getting bigger! They started to also unwrap bundles of wax paper that had 50 and 100 dollar bills stacked inside! They couldn’t believe it.

At First, It Was Funny

Old Money

The husband explained to a reporter after everything happened, “The second package didn’t have any twenties. It was all fifties! What is going on here? There could be 5 grand here! Wait! The third package is 100s! This is out of control!” At the time that this was happening, their minds were racing with different ideas of where all of this money came from.

Old Money

Dating The Cash

This couple had no idea how to approach this situation. At first, they thought it was hilarious. After all, they stumbled upon tens of stacks of crisp bills in their house! They very quickly realized it wasn’t so funny, though. They needed to find out where this money came from and who put it there. There was definitely something fishy about this situation.

Dating The Cash

From the 1950s

They wanted to know just how long this suitcase had been sitting in their home, and there was one way to get a ballpark estimate. When they looked very closely at the bills, they realized this money had been sitting here since at least the 1920s or 1930s. Other items that were found here were from the 1950s. What was going on here?

From the 1950s

A Pleasant Surprise

The more they looked at the money and objects, the easier it was for them to understand that this money had been sitting in their home for quite some time now. The next question they needed to have answered was how did it get there and why was it there?

A Pleasant Surprise

They Had A Normal Life

When they kept digging through the suitcase, they found something laying flat on the bottom that they thought could help answer their question. It was a newspaper, and while it was quite obvious that it was old, they were surprised when they saw just how old it really was…

They Had A Normal Life

1951

They were baffled to see that this newspaper dated all the way back to 1951… March 25th, 1951, to be exact! They couldn’t believe what they were looking at. The couple was in full-on shocked mode when they tried to put the pieces of this mystery together.

1951

Had To Contact The Authorities

They were also surprised to see that the newspaper was a local one called the Cleveland Plain Dealer. They wanted to think that this discovery was something incredible and rare, but they were also apprehensive to feel anything just yet. How much was all of this money worth today?

Had To Contact The Authorities

More Things To Uncover

This couple simply couldn’t believe what was going on; nothing like this ever happened to them! To make matters even more interesting, most of these bills were something called “star bills”, which means that they were never even distributed throughout the economy. All of these mystery bills have been around for over 70 years.

More Things To Uncover

Never-Ending Findings

The couple thought they had made an incredible discovery, but they still had questions. They reached out to a lawyer to help them figure out just how much money this was really worth today, and the lawyer told them this cash had the value of about $23,000 today!

Never-Ending Findings

Back To Work

After taking a few days to celebrate this find and let the bizarre story soak in, between speaking with lawyers and recuperating from such an unexpected turn of events, the pair decided together that they needed to go back to their normal daily routine. They thought they made an incredible discovery for themselves, but they had no idea this situation was far from done.

Back To Work

And Here We Go Again

Even after discovering $23,000 hiding in their attic, this crafty couple knew they had to get back to finish their home renovation. They never in a million years expected to find a second suitcase hiding in their basement, though…

And Here We Go Again

Heavier Than The First

Just like the first time, this homeowner was alone in his home when he discovered the second mystery suitcase. After seeing what was in the first suitcase, he couldn’t wait to open the second one. He couldn’t believe that he didn’t see the second suitcase when he discovered the first one! He waited patiently for his wife to get home before opening it with her.

Heavier Than The First

The New Suitcase

Eventually, this husband went onto Reddit to share his store with the world, where he said, “This was a wild ride for us, and I hope you all enjoyed it, too. We are boring people and have been dumping our extra money to pay off our mortgage, and that is where this money will go too.”

The New Suitcase

Same But Different

As he had been doing this entire time, he kept documenting everything on his camera. They kept getting more and more curious about what could be inside, which was a natural feeling given what they found the first time. They couldn’t wait to open this box and find out what it was.

Same But Different

The Search Continues

The couple had no idea what could possibly be hiding inside the walls of their house, but after these discoveries, they knew that anything was possible. The basement was a total wreck, as they had not yet finished the renovation other than starting a demolition, so they knew they had to keep searching to see if they’d find anything else along the way.

The Search Continues

A Bigger Fortune

After they opened the second suitcase, they realized it was something much worse than they’d hoped. This was something so serious that they needed to contact the FBI. Nonetheless, they needed to keep going with their home renovation process, so that’s exactly what the couple did.

A Bigger Fortune

The Wait Is Over

The second his wife walked in through the door, the two tore open the suitcase to see what was inside. Just like last time, it was a giant load of cash. They were left absolutely speechless. They couldn’t help but wonder how much money could be stacked inside of this suitcase and what their final total would be.

The Wait Is Over

What Else Was Hiding Here?

Little did they know when they first opened the suitcase, but these stacks of money were not the only thing hiding in these suitcases. When the couple continued with their home renovation, they found yet another suitcase. What could be inside this time?

What Else Was Hiding Here?

What They Found There

After opening suitcases with stacks of money inside, the couple became hopeful that the next suitcase would be the same thing, but they were very taken back when they realized that was not at all the case. This time, they truly did not know what to do about what they’ve laid their eyes on.

What They Found There

The Final Count

They couldn’t help but wonder how many more suitcases were hiding in their home, and if they would find more and more with the progression of their renovation. The husband knew that they were going to keep finding more valuable and precious items, and he couldn’t wait for his wife to get home to see what they found this time.

A Secret Door

Big Secrets

The next suitcase they found was completely identical on the outside to the first suitcases they found. They couldn’t help but wonder if they were going to find more stacks of money inside, and once again, they ripped open the suitcase right when his wife returned home.

Big Secrets

A Secret Door

Eventually, the excitement from finding all of this money went down a bit and their lives returned to normal… but not for long, of course. Right when they thought everything was going to be okay again, they found a secret door that they had never seen before. When they opened the door, they found something that would make their skin crawl.

What They Found There

Finding Hiding Spots

This suitcase they discovered had the money all lined up in a straight line, not in piles! They both gasped with confusion. They had to figure out what was going on here. How much money was really hidden in this house? What else were they going to find? They needed answers now.

Finding Hiding Spots

He Felt Nervous

This suitcase was filled with nearly $45,000 worth of cold hard cash! They couldn’t believe it. They had never gotten so lucky in their whole lives. They didn’t think about the fact that this luck wouldn’t last, and something needed to be done about these discoveries.

He Felt Nervous

What Else Would They Uncover?

The couple could not possibly have been more intrigued and confused by what was going on. They didn’t realize that their home was filled with treasure and they had been living there with it this entire time! They knew they had to keep going and find out if there was more stuff hiding.

What Else Would They Uncover?

Another Big Mystery

They didn’t realize that their search would lead to them having to call in the FBI. They thought they would be able to keep this money and that they had simply gotten lucky with their discovery, but they were about to be very disappointed to find out that this wasn’t the case at all.

Another Big Mystery

Full Of Secrets

Now that they were aware that their house had some secrets they didn’t know about, the couple was even more motivated to explore. This only increased when they figured out where they had to look next.

Full Of Secrets

Tearing Down The Door

They found a secret door that was for the water heater. The realtor had told them about this, but they felt like something was strange about it. They thought this must be a place where something small but valuable would turn up.

Tearing Down The Door

He Found More Mysteries

And so, they decided to take a look behind it. Their instincts happened to be spot-on. They found the biggest secret in there. When they opened the tiny white door, they realized the realtor had tricked them!

He Found More Mysteries

They Were Fooled

The “water heater” room was nothing but a ploy to trick the new house owner into thinking it was just another normal house. When the door was cracked open, the couple couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

They Were Fooled

Hidden Room

There was a hidden room much bigger than they had thought. It had some carpet pieces and yet another surprise they never could have expected. He told his wife to stay back since he had no idea what he was going to find.

Hidden Room

Door Number Two

He started to wonder, and his mind roamed to all kinds of places. What could possibly be behind this door? Think for a second and just imagine if your house had a whole side you didn’t know even existed!

Door Number Two

Something Sinister

The door was locked with a master lock and secured with a bolt. Still, this man wasn’t giving up – not yet. He was determined to figure out what was behind the mystery door. Quickly, he rushed downstairs, got a hammer, and started to pound.

Something Sinister

They Couldn’t Handle This Alone

Other than that, he was able to clearly see that this room was being used for a while. It was also clear that someone had tried very hard to hide it. The room was in horrible shape – it was all moldy and dark.

They Couldn’t Handle This Alone

Uh Oh

Despite the fact that the homeowners lived there for a couple of years already, this was the very first time they had gone down there. Why on earth would they need to soundproof the room? One bad reason came to their minds.

Uh Oh

More Mysteries Down There

Their minds immediately went to something bad – crime specifically. The walls, the floor, and even the ceiling were covered in white soundproofing tarp. Why didn’t they want people nearby to hear what was going on up there?

More Mysteries Down There

What They Found

What could possibly be stashed in there? While we already know he has a penchant for going with DIY projects, his curiosity made sense. He didn’t have any idea that his house was filled with lies and mysteries the entire time.

What They Found

Full Of Jewels

Of course, the room wasn’t empty. There was a suitcase on the floor. He was slightly hesitant, so he paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. That didn’t last all that long. His curiosity got the better of him and he quickly grabbed the suitcase.

Full Of Jewels

The Strange Safe

Let’s not forget that places that have hiding spots usually mean that something isn’t right… What began as a fun home renovation project took a dark turn when he broke the lock and went in to take a look inside the room.

The Strange Safe

Hidden Inside

The things he found inside the suitcase were shocking. There was an ancient wooden box, envelopes filled with money from all kinds of different countries, watches, rings, a jewelry box, and a 4 1oz silver ingots. Why were they hiding their most prized possessions? Who were they even hiding it all from?

Hidden Inside

What Was Going On Here?

That door ended up leading to yet another door. This room had white plastic tarp everywhere and heavy soundproofing material. Something about it just didn’t feel right to him. It almost felt like it came straight out of a movie… was it some kind of torture chamber?

What Was Going On Here?

A Terrifying Note

As they kept looking around the room, they saw something that cleared up a couple of things about its past. They found out that they had to immediately get in touch with the authorities when they looked through the relics left behind.

A Terrifying Note

He Was Terrified

The couple began uncovering even more strange things inside the room. First, they found an old brown briefcase. Seeing how much luck they had with the first two suitcases, they though that luck was still on their side.

He Was Terrified

One More Warning

However, soon they would learn just how far off they were. There was absolutely nothing good inside this briefcase. This is something they soon learned. Just as they did when they worked on the basement, they took some pictures and documented all they found.

One More Warning

An Unsettling Detail

This was definitely one experience they didn’t want to forget. They were curious about what was hiding there, so at last, they opened the case to take a look. It was filled with someone’s valuable. They found some expensive antique jewelry. A ring, some watches, and 4 silver ingots.

An Unsettling Detail

They Needed The Police

There was something else inside as well… They saw envelopes filled with money from different countries. As they kept looking, they found a black Sentry safe tucked away in the very corner of the room. That was when they started getting even more skeptical.

They Needed The Police

Some Disturbing Footage

What could be hidden in a secret safe inside a room within an already secret room? There was something very off about all the secrecy and mystery surrounding the area. He began feeling intimidated. He knew there was no way that this safe contained money, jewelry, and more “common” items.

Some Disturbing Footage

An Investigation Of Epic Proportions

He knew full well that it wasn’t something he’ll be glad to find. Everything inside seemed to be valuable, but why were they in this room that was so tightly secured? They clearly felt that the room was hiding even more secrets.

An Investigation Of Epic Proportions

The FBI Is Here To Help

As it turns out, they were right about that. He decided to put these thoughts to the back of his mind and open the safe in any case. When he cracked it open, he found a note that was enough to confirm his worst suspicions. All that was written on it was “save yourself”.

The FBI Is Here To Help

How Can You Be Sure?

The wording was ominous on its own, but the fact that the penmanship was rough and the words were scrawled out in black ink made it all the more sinister. Who wrote this? Why did they do so? What did they mean by it?

How Can You Be Sure?

They Got Lucky

He knew that the only way he’d be able to find the truth was to keep going with the investigation. Not long after he realized this, they found more mystery items that were way out of their comfort zones. It was high time to call the authorities.

They Got Lucky

Do Not

The man was so curious that he kept digging into the other things that were inside the mysterious safe. However, what he found next made him feel very unsafe. Inside, he found a bunch of tapes that were placed with a handwritten message that said: “Do not”. Yikes.

How Can You Be Sure?

VHS Tapes

He noticed that those records were, in fact, videotapes. If he wanted to find the truth, he would need to watch them. What would he find? The man then took out all the tapes he saw in the safe and took a closer look at them.

VHS Tapes

Newer

He noticed that the tapes were much newer than all the other things they had found, which surprised him. He was scared when he realized this, even though it told him nothing else. On top of the taped, they found a whole series of numbers that looked like labels.

Newer

Police

One tape, however, didn’t come with that label. Five out of the six tapes had tags. Did someone make all these with the sole purpose of messing with people? This was beginning to go too far. They finally came to the conclusion that it was time to get the police.

Police

The Curiosity

He couldn’t contain his curiosity anymore. This was how he soon found out what the tapes contained. After looking at them for several seconds, he called the authorities on his phone and asked them to come to the house as soon as possible.

The Curiosity

Confiscated

Once this happened, the FBI confiscated these tapes. No one outside these parties knew what the mysterious tapes contained. Just the homeowner, maker, and agents were able to know what was recorded on the tapes. His curiosity led him to discover something that he ended up wishing he didn’t see.

Confiscated

A Mystery

There was a solid chance he would never find out what was on those tapes. The media came up with a theory that the tapes contained footage of horrible crimes that happened in the soundproof room. It’s still a mystery no one knows the answer to.

A Mystery

Questions

Naturally, the investigation raised a whole lot of questions about everything that was found on the property, from the bundles of money to all the hidden tapes. What people used to live in this house?

Questions

Other Secrets

Are there more secrets waiting to be discovered? What would you do if you found the same thing in the house you’ve lived in all this time? Most importantly, are you sure you can say that you don’t have anything like this hiding inside your house right now?

Other Secrets

Lucky

This couple was lucky that they were safe and didn’t get hurt from this mysterious discovery. They did the right thing by calling the authorities since this was something they couldn’t have handled alone. Now, they’ll have their unique story to tell.

Lucky

Secret Bunker

Finding interesting objects and items in older homes isn’t something new, by any means. In fact, it turns out that many people who’ve moved into new houses have made odd and sometimes even scary discoveries of their own. One example is when this man bought a house, he found something. The original homeowner had passed away, and the real-estate agents sold the house as-is for very cheap.

Secret Bunker

Ready To Explore

The new homeowner was excited about his house and excitedly explored it. He went down to the basement to see it. When he got to the bottom of the stairs, he noticed a strange sheet of plywood that was attached to the wall. It turns out that there was a secret room packed with guns and ammo. On top of all that, there was also a hollowed-out grenade. The man also found a huge safe and chest of money filled with nothing other than pennies.

Ready To Explore

Preserved Past

One British couple was going through the basement of their old family house when they came across this. They discovered a perfectly intact Victorian kitchen all the way back from the 1830s. It was completely stocked with pots, pans, a cooking range, and enough tables and benches to sit 20 people. There was also a cookbook there with Victorian recipes.

Preserved Past

Live Wire

Another example of a couple that moved into a new house with no idea of what they would find is Linda and Wally DeForest. As Linda was unpacking things in the basement, she made an intriguing discovery. She called her husband and said that she found a torpedo in their basement. As one would expect, Wally was pretty skeptical about that, but he still looked into it. It turns out that his wife was right.

Live Wire

The Green Torpedo

There was a big, green torpedo right there in their basement. The couple spoke to an army veteran who explained that it was around for either a mortar or a lightweight anti-tank weapon from the Korean and Vietnam War. Eventually, the couple got in touch with the authorities and they came to take it away. When the DeForests asked how a torpedo could possibly end up in someone’s basement, the answer they got was that sometimes, people kept torpedoes as souvenirs.

The Green Torpedo

Discovery

While it’s probably fascinating to find some old artifacts in the basement of the house you just bought, at times, people find completely different things. Diane and Pat Farla lived in an old Victorian house in England. They always wondered about the strange grate in their basement. And so, one night, they decided to look into it after they had some wine.

Discovery

Persecuted Catholics

The moved the iron grille and discovered a hole big enough for their nephew and his friend to crawl through. Good idea, right? On the other side, the kids found a cellar that looked somewhat like a chapel. The couple got in touch with historians and asked them about it. As it turns out, the room dated back to the 1700s. It’s thought that it was used as a secret Catholic Church in the time when Catholics were persecuted and executed.

Persecuted Catholics

Hidden Room

Back in 1963, one homeowner was working on renovations for his house when he knocked down a wall and came across a hidden room. While this is exciting, just imagine how excited he was when he found another one. And then another one! The man practically found an entire underground city. Derinkuyu is one of the most impressive and weird archeological discoveries of the 20th century. The old city was created with a huge network of underground tunnels that homed the Hittites.

Hidden Room

RIGHT BEHIND YOU

While discovering old pictures hidden away in houses is a creepy thing in itself, finding one that asks the finder if they see “him” is a whole other level of horrifying. Not to mention, it’s a totally valid reason to sell the place and move very far away.

RIGHT BEHIND YOU

Michelangelo Painting

Here is a pretty incredible find. One family discovered a famous Norman Rockwell painting hidden behind a fake wall in their late father’s house in Vermont. The father had kept a fake one on display in the house so that his wife wouldn’t get the real one in their divorce. He never mentioned a thing, even on his deathbed. The painting ended up selling in an auction for $15.4 million. Another similar story happened in New York. A man remembered that he had a $300 million Michaelangelo painting behind his couch. He forgot that it’s been sitting there for 27 years.

Michelangelo Painting

31 Love Letters

In Nova Scotia, there was a brother and a sister who were working on a renovation project when they found 31 love letters. They were written by a World War I soldier and were hidden in their walls. They searched the names in the letters and managed to track down the grandkids of the couple to return all the letters.

31 Love Letters

Ammunition

One man moved into a new house and made his own strange discovery. He noticed a sheet of wood on a wall that looked out of place. And so, he took it down and found a secret room. Inside it, he came across an entire box of ammunition among other weapons.

Ammunition

Hidden Safe

It’s not new that someone might find a safe in the basement of their newly-purchased house. Even a safe that’s buried in the backyard isn’t an unusual find. However, a safe hidden in the wall of the kitchen? That’s less common.

Hidden Safe

Strange Treasure

This person discovered exactly that. Inside the safe, they found $50,000 in cash, a bottle of bourbon, and a copy of E.F. Schumacher’s “A Guide for the Perplexed”. Weird combination, don’t you think?

Strange Treasure

Jackpot

While he was shoveling through some rubble when he was working on a bathroom renovation, this plumber struck gold – literally. He got a glimpse of something shiny and grabbed it. He saw instantly that it was a gold brick. It turned out to be worth $50,000. Seeing as he was an honest man, the plumber returned it to the homeowners.

Jackpot