Treasure hunting continues to be a huge business, even more so with the rise in popularity of using a fishing magnet.
Covered extensively through YouTube and other social media platforms, the fishing magnet technique uses powerful magnets that are attached to strong ropes, which hobbyists then drop into waterways. They then wait to see what the magnets attract.
A fishing magnet doesn’t always find treasures though. In Michigan in 2019, the bomb squad had to be called when a magnet fisherman pulled up a mortar grenade from World War I.
Law enforcement and other relevant government agencies are also paying special attention to the fishing magnet hobby as criminals often drop weapons and stolen items into waterways after committing a crime.
However, when fishing magnet enthusiasts pull up a great find, the story that comes after is sometimes the real treasure. It turns out that 15-year-old George Tindale of the popular fishing magnet YouTube channel Magnetic G, has that exact story.
George and his 52-year-old dad Kevin, of Grantham, Lincolnshire in the United Kingdom, made an incredible discovery when they went fishing magnet hunting in the River Witham. Their two powerful magnets pulled up a safe that was submerged in the river!
After cracking the safe open with a crowbar, father and son found $2,500 Australian dollars (equivalent to US$ 1,800), along with a shotgun certificate, and credit cards that expired in 2004. Using the gun certificate and credit cards, the Tindales tracked down Rob Everett, the safe’s owner.
Everett runs Winkworth and the Money Options Group in Grantham. After confirming the ownership of the safe, George and his parents, Kevin and Denise, visited Everett to return the money.
In 2000, the safe was stolen during an office robbery and was dumped in the river. Everett said, “I remember at the time, they smashed into a cabinet to get to the safe. I was just upset that there was a nice pen on my desk, a Montblanc that was never recovered.”
The robbery was committed by a teenage boy, who was caught after leaving a cap with his name stitched inside.
When Everett met with the Tindales, he gave George a small reward for his honesty and offered him an internship as well. Everett was apparently impressed with the boy’s math skills, which George showed in a YouTube video as he counted the Australian dollars.
“Some people are just wonderful. They’ve gone to all that trouble. I gave a small reward to George. What’s good about it is George is a good mathematician apparently, and I run a wealth management company now, and I’ve offered him work experience when he’s ready to give him something back, give him some opportunity. I’d love him to work for us. He’s only 15 but give him a bit more time and I’d be happy to give him an opportunity,” Everett said.
The saga that began 22 years ago has left an indelible mark on Everett, and even more faith in humanity.
He shared, “I was just amazed that they’d been able to track me down. There are some really nice and good people in this world. They could have kept the money, they could have said they attempted to get hold of me.”
Everett added, “There’s a big lesson there. It teaches George that doing good and being honest and giving back is actually more rewarding than taking.”
George recalled, “I mean it was amazing really. We pulled this safe out and it had all that money in it. We counted it roughly on the bank and I think we totaled it about two and a half grand and we were just shocked.”
And after meeting Everett, he added, “[Rob] was great. If I ever want work experience when I leave school, he said the offers always open.”
His fishing magnet hobby is not all about treasure hunting for George, though. His mother explained that exploring waterways has educated George about water pollution and its impacts on wildlife.
“George is very environmentally conscious. He always has been since primary school,” Denise said. “When he first started to do this, he was after treasure. Everything ends up in the rivers and canals.”
Not everyone who finds a safe full of cash has the integrity to return that awesome find to its rightful owner. George has said that this experience has been the best so far in his fishing magnet hobby, and this is sure to inspire others to do good, even while hunting for treasure.
Watch George’s story in the video below:
If you want to see more fishing magnet videos please visit their YouTube channel HERE.