First detector search and the find of a lifetime: A mix of Roman, Viking and other treasures

Detective Charles Cartwright set out on his first search on May 7. He was walking through a field at Polfields Coppice in Doddenham when he came across a very strong signal. He eventually unearthed nearly 300 rare historical artefacts from a shallow depth, including jewellery from the medieval and Bronze Age periods, as well as a number of Egyptian valuables. But suspicion replaced the joy.

It was his first two hours with the metal detector when the device "went crazy": "I stuck the spade in about ten centimetres deep and heard the clink of something metallic," Cartwright told the BBC. "I moved the spade to one side and saw a large silver jug, so I uncovered the soil and lifted it up. It weighed a hell of a lot because it was full of water. Inside the jug was a plastic bag from Aldi department store and there were 271 other items inside."

Cartwright went on to say that the find was "really exciting", but the plastic bag aroused considerable suspicion in him, which is why he decided to contact the police. "You always hear stories like this but you never imagine being part of it. So it's exciting to be part of such a happy ending," he said.

The 44-year-old finder reported the treasure to authorities, the landowner and coroners. Subsequent investigations revealed that a set of valuable items in a plastic bag had been stolen from a house in Ludlow, Shropshire, in 2017. Thanks to a huge stroke of beginner's luck, the find was able to be returned to its owners. Police said at the time that the loss was valued at £5,500 - almost £167,000.

The owner of the items - a lifelong antiques collector who wishes to remain anonymous - was delighted to have the collection back home: 'We had given up hope of getting the items back because they had been gone for so long. We didn't even think they would come back. In addition to many items from my collection, thieves also damaged the house by deliberately running hot water for days. Initially it didn't make sense, but as a result of the flooding the house was uninhabitable for a full 14 days. They could therefore have returned at any time and continued the robbery."

The recovered items were returned to him because most of them still had auction tickets confirming their ownership. The collector said it was amazing to see the items that made up a significant portion of his "favourite" pieces again, and he is "extremely grateful" to the finder. The owner further stated that he had tried to offer Cartwright a reward. However, he declined, saying that perhaps they would meet sometime and the collector would invite him for a pint of beer.

Detective Inspector Tom Court said the investigation into the burglary was continuing.

Roman Nemec

Sources: bbc.com, businessinsider.in