A truck driver may have been oblivious after a pallet carrying more than $60,000 in coins fell from his vehicle and was found by passersby in Christchurch.
Fortunately, the two painters and a motorist who came across the haul in the suburb of Merivale this morning were honest enough to call police, pick up the loose coins and keep an eye on them until police arrived.
Police said the call came through about the coins at about 10.30am. It appeared a pallet had come off a freight truck, spilling several bags of coins onto the road.
A broken shackle, likely to have come from the truck, was found on the road near the spill. Most bags were intact but a number had broken open, spilling coins across the road. Police understand the coins, totalling more than $60,000, were being transported to security firm ACM Services. Police contacted the security firm, who sent a truck to retrieve the coins.
The truck driver may not have been aware the load had been spilled, a police spokesman said. The security firm was attempting to locate the truck operator.
