Some people bid on those storage units. If they win with the highest amount of money, they legally claim what’s inside. This can cause problems because some containers have trash in them. Still, it’s possible to get the jackpot, and one man hoped to do that!
Dream Come True
One man won the storage unit with his final bid. Would the contents be trash or worthy of his time and effort? When he saw a locked safe, he got excited, but he never expected the cops to show up at his door a few hours afterward.
Dream Come True
Thrilling Bids
This man was comfortable bidding on the storage units at auction. However, it was a gamble to spend money like that when you had no idea what was in there. He had heard that others found riches and cars, though!
Thrilling Bids
Good So Far
He had been quite lucky so far, selling the contents of the units for more than he’d paid initially. However, he had to sort through all the items, clean up, and find the buyers, so it was a lot of effort.
Good So Far
Done for the Day
The thrill for the unexpected kept him pushing, but he was tired now. He told himself that he was finished for the day if the next unit didn’t hold anything big. Would it all work out for him?!
Done for the Day
Sneak a Peek
Joe was outside of this storage unit, but 15 to 20 others were also there. Everyone tried to look inside the large space, but they couldn’t see everything. It was huge and could hold a full one-bedroom apartment within!
Sneak a Peek
Bid or Lose
Television shows portray bidding wars with drama, screaming, and shouting, but that’s not what happens in real life. It was quite fun, though, especially when Joe and another person tried to out-bid each other. He wanted to win but was on a budget.
Bid or Lose
All Wrapped Up
Joe couldn’t stop now. He had seen that the container had furniture inside, and that was usually a good sign because he could sell it all. Plus, he wanted to check out a few other things, but one woman upped the bids each time.
All Wrapped Up
Hefty Bidding
The auction started at $100, which was steep. However, this container was full, so he matched that bet. The woman raised it more, and it continued like that for a while. How much would he spend here?!
Hefty Bidding
Reality Hit
Joe was now in it for $350 and couldn’t give up this unit. However, the bids soared higher. Finally, he won at $500 and began shaking because he feared he might have spent too much of his money!
Reality Hit
Hidden By Things
The onlookers started to move away since they hadn’t won. However, some wanted to watch Joe enter and start sifting through everything. When he got a peek at what was there, he wished someone else had won.
Hidden By Things
Sifting Through Things
Joe slowly walked around the unit, afraid but expectant about what he’d find. The container held plenty of furniture, which made him feel good. There were gaps between the items, so he could walk around it all to see.
Sifting Through Things
Breaking Even
The man felt a trickle of sweat come down his neck, and he realized that all the furniture wouldn’t cover how much he’d paid for this unit. They were sturdy and nice pieces, but he wanted to break even, searching desperately through the stuff.
Breaking Even
The Chance Find
As Joe scanned the room, his eyes rested on a gray container on the floor. It sat beside a chest of drawers, and he went over and tried to open it, but it was locked tight. He called his friend, asking him to grab a drill and head that way.
The Chance Find
Break the Lock
Joe drilled deep into the container to force open the lock, removing the lid slowly. He initially saw VHS tapes, but he removed those carefully to see deep within. There was a note that scared him a little.
Break the Lock
Mysterious
The note had a single word on it, written in rough handwriting. “Don’t” was all it said, and Joe felt a little scared. Then, he sifted through the videotapes. Most of the labels had a date but no other information.
Mysterious
Feeling Watched
Joe was feeling watched now. It crept in slowly, and he really believed that someone was looking right at him. He turned around to check behind him, but he was alone; no one was there.
Feeling Watched
Investigation
Though Joe had found a safe, things wouldn’t be easy for him. Roughly two hours after his discovery, there was a knock at the door. The police were swarming the unit. What had he gotten involved in?!
Investigation
A Windfall
He saw yellowed and waxy paper in the safe, and he unwrapped one bundle, seeing $50 bills. Joe kept going and found even more money. How did it come to be there, and who owned it? Why were the police involved?!
A Windfall
Evidence
Finally, it dawned on Joe what he’d done. He was excited to find the safe. Therefore, he uploaded some pictures to his social media page and sent the photos to his girlfriend. That brought the police to his door.
Evidence
Another Interested Party
He hadn’t gotten to count all that money, but it was enough for him to roll around in it if he wanted. Joe was up to $1 million, but now he had to stop and talk to the police. Soon, he found out other people were interested in his find.
Another Interested Party
Dirty Money
When he’d counted it all, he found $7.5 million in multiple safes within that storage unit. However, the owner had actually heard about it all through the police and wanted his fortune back. He’d hired lawyers, and Joe felt worried.
Dirty Money
Questions
After Joe found all that money, he received threats that frightened him. This was a living nightmare for the man, but he had questions. Who hid the money in the storage unit, and why had they never come back to get it? What was on the VHS tapes?
Questions
Finder’s Fee
Things moved quickly once the police got there. When things were settled, Joe got a call from a lawyer. The original owner wanted him to return the cash, but he would give up a $600,000 finder’s fee for the trouble.
Finder’s Fee
Threats
Joe liked the idea of getting money for all his troubles, but the lawyers were threatening him. What should he do now? He didn’t want to deal with the owner of the safe, but it seemed like he had no choice.
Threats
The Tapes
The police had told Joe not to touch the contents of the unit until they’d finished their case. However, he wanted to know what the VHS tapes contained. He opened the bag that held them, put one in the VCR, and pushed play.
The Tapes
Horrible Scenes
Joe said that he’d witnessed something horrendous, and now he couldn’t unsee it because he’d viewed the tape. It gave him nightmares, and he tried to convince himself that the images weren’t real. However, he wasn’t sure.
Horrible Scenes
His Dilemma
Joe had a huge problem on his hands. The safe’s owner might learn that he’d seen the tapes, coming after him to kill him. That might not occur, but it was possible. He decided to keep quiet about it.
His Dilemma
Concerns
The safe’s original owner might already know he’d seen the VHS tapes. He had felt watched a few times already. He couldn’t get those images out of his mind and had sleepless nights because of it. What did they show?
Concerns
His Discovery
Joe’s curiosity couldn’t be contained, and he’d watched the tapes. However, he wouldn’t say what was on them. He only mentioned that he was scared for his life. Could the money be worth the hassle? Did the owner even know about the videotapes?
His Discovery
The Law’s on His Side
Joe talked to some friends and discovered that the unit’s contents were legally his. Once he paid for the container through the auction, the original tenant had no bearing on the matter. However, the man’s lawyers wouldn’t quit.
The Law’s on His Side
Bigger Finder’s Fee
The lawyers actually thought Joe would be happy to get rid of the safe, so they raised the finder’s fee. It was at $1.2 million now, and they played hardball. They were capable of anything, so what should he do?
Bigger Finder’s Fee
Considerations
Joe wondered how a person could forget about $7.5 million in a storage facility unit. No one would go delinquent on that much money. He didn’t think the original owner was a decent person, but that might make things worse for him.
Considerations
Returning the Money
Would he get the finder’s fee of $1.2 million? That was a lot of money, but it’s not the $7.5 million he unpacked from the unit. He also didn’t like to be strong-armed, but his thoughts were all jumbled, and he couldn’t decide.
Returning the Money
A Fair Deal
After receiving death threats and dealing with his thoughts, Joe split the money evenly with the original owner. That man hadn’t been to the storage unit in over a year nor paid for it, which is why the auction occurred.
A Fair Deal
Self-Storage
Self-storage is quite similar to renting an apartment. You pay a person or company to hold your items for you. It’s possible to go to the facility when you need to, but you pay fees, usually monthly, to have the privilege.
Self-Storage
How It Works
You would pay your landlord every month to live in an apartment, and the same applies for a storage unit. If you don’t make the payment, the facility has rights. It often uses auctions to recoup its lost money, and the buyer cleans up.
How It Works
Options
When the unit’s tenant doesn’t pay, the facility owner can evict them, but they usually auction off the stuff inside to recover their lost income. It can appear to be unfair, but storage facilities are companies that focus on profit.
Options
Cover the Loss
Storage facilities rarely make money from those auctions, so they simply try to cover expenses. It often leads to a loss. Unpaid units don’t make any money, so they must remove all those items and get a new tenant.
Cover the Loss
Lucky Finds
Buying a storage unit at auction is risky without knowing what’s inside. You want to get lucky by finding money in the clothing pockets or some antique furniture to sell for a high price. However, that doesn’t always happen.
Lucky Finds
Joe’s Situation
Joe landed a storage unit with cash tucked into various safes, but his was a horrifying experience. He will likely be wary of auctions in the future, though he will still like the excitement that comes with it all.
Joe’s Situation
