A tale of honesty and professionalism was reported on Monday morning when an elderly woman left behind a purse containing €30,000, gold sovereigns and jewelry on a public bus in a western Athens district, with the property later found and returned to the owner.
According to state broadcaster ERT, the incident was reported on bus serving route 856, which operates between the district of Egaleo and south-central Dafni district.
According to reports, the woman disembarked without realizing she had forgotten her purse.
Shortly afterward, another passenger noticed the unattended item and alerted the driver, who asked for it to be placed at the front of the bus, assuming the owner would soon come looking for it.
Within minutes, the driver received a notification from the public bus organization’s (OSY) coordination center, asking whether a purse had been found on board. It was only then that he learned the contents were highly valuable.
The driver had initially taken only a quick glance inside, noticing what appeared to be only fruit. However, the bag actually contained some 30,000 in cash, gold coins and jewelry, making the responsible actions of those involved even more significant.
The woman realized the loss upon arriving home and informed her daughter, who promptly contacted OSY, sparking efforts to locate the bag.
Thanks to the swift response by both passengers and transport staff, the bag was ultimately returned to its rightful owner through the proper authorities.
