DETECTIVES have thanked honest residents who have repeatedly handed in bundles of cash which keep mysteriously turning up in their village.

Villagers of Blackhall Colliery have done the right thing by handing over to the police bundles of £2,000 that have been left in the street.

The unusual discoveries have been made 12 times since 2014, with the latest find taking place just this morning.

The money is almost always comprised of £2,000, always found in a bundle of £20 notes and always left in plain sight, although in different locations throughout the village.

Detective Constable John Forster, of Peterlee CID, said the team had interviewed numerous people and organisations in the village as well as carrying out checks with the local bank and post office and even tested for fingerprints, but the circumstances surrounding the bundles of money remained a mystery.

He said: “These bundles are always left in plain sight such as on pavements and discovered by random members of the public who have handed them in.

“This is the fourth bundle handed in this year.

“This could be the work of a Good Samaritan but we would like to thank the residents who have shown incredible community spirit by handing the money in."

He added: "I have looked into it and I am not thinking crime, drug dealing or money laundering. Drug dealers are not know for being reckless with their money.

"County Durham and Darlington remains a relatively safe place to live or work and that area is not worse than anywhere else.

"I am massively impressed with the local community who have brought the money in.

"We would have to assume there is some money that has not been handed in, but every single one of the families that handed the cash in have been absolutely spot on and so humble, as well.

"First and foremost they wanted to return the money to someone who had lost it. 

"It isn’t an affluent part of the world, so for them to find cash and that amount to instantly think about taking it to the police station shows the community spirit there is and the strength of the personalities and characterse that are there."

DC Forster said after a period of time if no one claims the money, it does go to the person who found it and handed it in.

He added: “The circumstances remain a mystery so we would welcome any information that will help us get to the bottom of these random incidents.”

Anyone with information should contact Durham Police on 101 and ask to speak to DC Forster.