http://www.tweednews.com.au/story/2009/09/20/lads-find-100000-in-cash-ndash-and-hand-it-over/
Lads find $100,000 in cash
20th September 2009

Print larger | smaller AAPTHE BOYS who found almost $100,000 on the banks of Tuntable Creek don't want a cent of it if it brings any trouble.

They were more interested in what fish were biting in their idyllic backyard than the bundle of cold hard cash they found next to their favourite fishing spot three weeks ago.

The boys created a storm of national interest when they handed the cash to Lismore police at 11am on Friday.

“We just don't want any trouble. We were sweet before the money and we'll be sweet after it,” one said grinning.

Their mother seemed almost relieved that the local press had found them first, as she had been bracing herself for the media onslaught the police warned would eventually come.

“I really wasn't ready to deal with this until now. We've just been coping with a tragedy in our community,” she said, asking that their names be kept out of the paper to protect the boys' privacy.

The teenagers had been fishing at their favourite spot three weeks ago when they stumbled across the money.

“Some news reports called it a popular fishing hole but really it's our secret spot,” they said.

“We go for bass and catfish, and sometime we get mullet but they're no good to eat.”

The package was tangled up in grass about five metres from the creek bank and had probably been there since the last flood in May - effectively reducing the likelihood that it originated from the Tuntable Creek or The Channon community.

The creek is fed from the Nightcap National Park about 10 kilometres upstream, dramatically widening the possibilities of its origins and could have been buried anywhere along the creekbank given the amount of erosion and land slippage that occurred during the last floods.

The police have since searched the area thoroughly and found no other evidence.

When the boys first discovered the money they weren't sure what it was. The package was dirty, wrapped in plastic and was about the size of two house bricks.

"When we realised what it was we thought it'd be about $10,000 so we were shocked to find out it was actually $100,000. It was in twenties and fifties with rubber bands around the wads.”

Their mother remains equally bemused and annoyed at the situation.

“They're amazing, incredible boys, I'm mean look at them now, they're more interested in fishing than any of this money business,” she said.

“Contrary to reports the boys told me about it pretty quickly. People might wonder why we took so long to take it to police but we had other things to deal with so we just put it under the pillow for a couple of weeks.

“I mean it would be nice to have some extra money but not if it's going to upset our lives.”

Three weeks ago? That would possibly have been in the closed season for bass. No wonder they didn't come clean back then.
Or am I just being cynical?