Lurking In The Basement
Reddit user Lmbrjack and his wife had finally moved into their own home! Granted, the walls and floors needed some work, but this couple was more than up to the task. However, what started as a DIY project soon turned into an FBI case!
Lmbrjack, a self-proclaimed renovation expert, wasted no time getting started on creating his family's dream home. But when he began tearing into the basement, a few nasty surprises were waiting for him. In fact, his findings were so bizarre; it seemed straight out of a horror movie! Everything started falling apart the moment he entered the bolted secret room in his basement.
Creepy Old House
Old houses are synonymous with being creepy, but the situation that this couple got themselves into definitely takes the cake. When Lmbrjack started the renovation, he felt the basement would be the best place to begin. That's when he noticed it.
The basement walls were lined with graffiti, and even though he couldn't make out the words, the place didn't exactly give off a welcoming feeling. Then, he realized there was something hidden in the rafters. Curiously he reached out to pull it free, making the first of what would turn out to be many startling discoveries.
Dusty And Green
The item was covered with years of accumulated dust, and the man was lucky he didn't start sneezing. He carefully carried the article out of the basement and placed it on the lawn outside. Now he could clearly see what it was.
A green and grey suitcase lay in front of him. Even though the small case didn't appear to be dangerous, it was unusually heavy, and the couple was anxious about opening it. But even in their wildest dreams, they never thought they would find this...
Taking A Bet
After deciding that they would peek into the case before calling the authorities or previous owners, Lmbrjack and his wife decided to play a game. They each took a turn guessing what could be hidden inside the mystery container.
His wife felt sure that there were old pictures in there; after all, what else would be tucked away in someone's basement. But Lmbrjack felt this had to be something even more valuable than that. He suggested baseball cards or important documents. Well, Lmbrjack was correct in it being valuable, but he was completely off when it came to what the actual contents were. If the couple had known sooner, they'd probably have ripped the lock off immediately!
Rolls Of Wax Paper
Initially, they were disappointed after opening the suitcase. Instead of treasure, there were three rolls of wax paper and a brush that resembled a banana. The couple felt foolish for believing this was something special, but soon they would discover how wrong they were.
It turns out the wax paper was acting as a protective barrier for something else. And as Lmbrjack and his wife began to peel away the layers, they found the real treasure that had been hidden for a long time!
20 Dollars
The first stack gave way to a wad of 20 dollar bills. There were so many notes that the couple was already rejoicing their good fortune! It turned out their fixer-upper was going to pay for itself! Little did they know that this was only the start of their crazy findings!
Lmbrjack wondered if these notes were fake and who they belonged to? But before he could express those views, his wife began revealing what were in the other two wax rolls. And after realizing they weren't 20 dollar bills, all the questions from Lmbrjack's head vanished and turned into amazement!
Unbelievable
The other two rolls contained even more money! This time it was 50 and 100 dollar bills. There was no denying it anymore. The couple was rich! They couldn't wait to find out exactly how much money they'd unearthed. But as they looked at the bills properly, they noticed something they'd missed before.
The bills didn't look like usual banknotes. And after checking the dates, they realized why. The cash had clearly been stored in the basement for a long time, as it was stamped in 1920. So what did this mean for the couple? And why did the FBI have to get involved?
The Evaluation
Because the money was old, Lmbrjack wasn't sure if it would have the same value that it did in the past. He decided it was time to get the cash appraised and find out just how much this windfall was worth.
The lawyer that he hired did some digging and presented the couple with intriguing news. Some of the notes from the suitcase had never been circulated! Eventually, the lawyer gave them an actual amount for their findings, and it was massive!
Thousands Of Dollars
Lmbrjack and his wife had secured a haul worth $23K. The pair were ecstatic and told their social media contacts that they would be putting the money back into the house. This was like a dream come true for the couple but little did they know, it would soon turn into a nightmare!
As the initial excitement of finding treasure in their basement wore off, Lmbrjack and his wife went back to their usual daily routine. But after a few weeks, the wife got a frantic call from her husband, telling her it had happened again!
Another Case
Finding one case of money is a stroke of luck, but two is nothing short of a miracle. At least that's what the DIY expert felt when he uncovered a second suitcase in the basement. But one couldn't be too sure if the contents of this case would be the same as the last.
Lmbrjack paced his home, waiting for his wife's return. He wasn't going to do this without her and there was no guarantee that this case didn't hold something dangerous. As the couple finally stood together to reveal this second mystery, they couldn't hold back the nervousness at what they may find.
Snap A Picture
The couple had been documenting their discoveries on Reddit and were excited to show off their newest finding. Lmbrjack opened the case, his heart hammering and mind yearning for more riches as his wife snapped a few pictures for their friends online.
Well, it turns out his prayers were answered (for now, at least). The suitcase contained more bills! These notes weren't wrapped in wax paper, and they looked and felt a lot heavier than the last set. Immediately, the couple got on the phone to see how much they had scored.
Massive Amount
Everything has a consequence, and this couple's digging into the basement would soon reveal much more sinister items. If only Lmbrjack knew what was to come, he probably would've never went back into that basement!
More Unexplained Discoveries
The more Lmbrjack worked on the basement, the less things made sense. He started coming across strange items and the placement of certain cabinets seemed bizarre. It was as if the room was hiding something and as the new owner, Lmbrjack couldn't help but wonder what that was.
The basement even had its own bathroom, and upon further exploration of the old medicine cabinet, Lmbrjack made a startling discovery. Again, he waited for his wife to come home so they could determine where this mystery would lead.
Pulling The String
Behind the cabinet, there appeared to be a movable panel. It was a strange addition to the decor... unless it served another purpose! Lmbrjack wondered if his suspicions were correct, and he knew there was only one way to find out!
He pulled the string that held the panel in place, bracing himself for what he would find. But despite his wildest guesses, he never imagined this! This would've been a good stage to back out, but unfortunately, Lmbrjack didn't know the risks, and soon the FBI would come knocking.
Hidden Room
Behind the panel was a crawlspace that led to a hidden room. It was large enough to fit several occupants, and the couple wondered what this space was used for. It seemed like something out of a murder mystery novel!
The room was old and dusty, with a pungent odor in the air. At this point, Lmbrjack and his wife were fearless, but the carpeted room held many articles, and after picking up the first one, they looked at each other in horror!
Abandoned
The room felt like it hadn't been used in a long time. Lmbrjack wondered if the previous owners even knew it was there. As the couple continued to explore odds and ends in the room, Lmbrjack and his wife suddenly froze. They'd noticed something even more spooky.
There was an ominous black door at the far end of the room. As they inched closer, the couple noticed that there was a bolt on the outside! This meant that whoever built this room didn't want something to escape, but what was it...
Behind The Door
This new door proved tricky to open. As neither Lmbrjack nor his wife knew anything about locks, they turned to the internet for answers. The couple stayed up all night researching ways to get into the mysterious room, and finally, they made a breakthrough!
Lmbrjack decided that he would use his power tools to break the locks. The couple couldn't rest without finding out what else may be hidden in their new house. Once morning came, Lmbrjack got to work on the lock but he certainly wasn't prepared for what he found.
More Items
The room was tiny and dark. It contained an air vent, which meant that whatever used to be kept here needed a fresh supply of oxygen. The area was also covered with a tarp to make it soundproof. Lmbrjack could already feel the hair on the back of his neck tingle.
Luckily, the content left behind didn't seem too dangerous (for now, at least). He found a large brown briefcase and a black sentry safe. Clearly, these were the most valuable of all the possessions; after all, why would they be hidden so well? Lmbrjack couldn't wait to explore his findings, not knowing it would lead him down a deadly path.
Opening The Briefcase
Since the couple had literally struck gold in their previous encounters with a suitcase, they first decided to check out the brown briefcase. Lmbrjack and his wife crossed their fingers, hoping for even more money, but they found this instead...
There was no wax paper this time; instead, the case was filled with envelopes and a little box. The couple wasted no time in opening their new findings, wondering what this little haul would bring.
Silver And A Sentry Box
The small box turned out to be an ancient jewelry holder, and inside it was gold rings, bracelets, and watches. Lmbrjack and his wife smiled at each other, not knowing what was to come. The envelopes held foreign banknotes, and there were also four silver ingots worth $80. So far, it seemed like a great find, but sadly that feeling wouldn't last!
After thoroughly exploring the briefcase, the couple set their sights on the black sentry safe. Considering what they had found in the standard cases, the couple wondered how much more special the items in the carryable safe would be.
Chilling Letter
The safe proved more difficult to open than the other cases they had found. It seemed as if the owners never wanted what was in there to get out. But Lmbrjack was resilient, and after a few tries, he successfully pried it open.
The first thing he stumbled upon was a note. Lmbrjack was shocked! This was no old love letter or an important document. It was a warning for whoever opened the box, and unfortunately for Lmbrjack, that happened to be him.
Turn For The Worst
The note read, "Save Yourself." As anyone in his shoes would, Lmbrjack began to feel nervous and thought of putting everything back where he found it. But this was his house, and he needed to know what secrets it held.
After all, the note could simply be someone's idea of a joke or another way to protect the treasures hidden inside the safe. Lmbrjack decided to ignore the warning and continued searching the safe, but soon things would take an unexpected turn.
Cassettes
Finding one warning was pretty terrifying, but soon the couple came across another. There was a box of cassettes in the safe with a label that spookily stated, "do not." This left the pair with a dilemma, should they proceed or steer clear?
Lmbrjack was starting to get worried for his and his wife's safety. Everything they were finding was only leading to more questions, and even though he desperately wanted the answers, he also didn't want anyone getting hurt.
No No No!
Lmbrjack decided that he at least had to analyze the tapes. He noticed that most of them were labeled with dates, but some had words written on them. There was one in particular that caught his eye because it was called, "no no no no no."
Curiosity got the best of him, and he couldn't rest without knowing what the contents of these videos were. Perhaps it was just funny home videos that previous owners had wanted to keep safe. He scolded himself for being so scared and decided to take the plunge.
Connecting The Dots
After inspecting most of the tapes, Lmbrjack realized that they were recorded in 1994 and 1995. This meant that whoever was on these tapes was also the key to finding out where the mysterious loot of cash and jewelry came from.
Despite any nagging fears, he had to put his mind at rest and find out who this person was. Little did he know that watching the tape would have the opposite effect on his sanity. But he bravely clicked play on the first video.
Unbelievable Tapes
According to Lmbrjack the images on the tape burned into his mind the moment he saw them. And despite wanting to forget everything, he found himself unable to do so. At first, he didn't even want to share the information with his wife.
If he could go back, Lmbrjack wouldn't have dared open those doors or watch the tapes. Like many people, the prospect of hidden treasure had eventually turned sour. Lmbrjack knew there was only one thing he could do now.
Calling The Authorities
Whatever he had seen on the tape was worth a call to the local authorities. At this point, Lmbrjack still wouldn't reveal what he had seen to his wife or social media followers. He just wanted to be done with the situation.
Once police officers got involved, they too realized the seriousness of what they were witnessing. The situation looked grim indeed and Lmbrjack wondered what would happen to him and his wife. But the local authorities soon stated that this was above them and called in these guys...
FBI Takes Over
The normal and quiet street where the couple lived was soon filled with FBI agents and firefighters. Everyone looked on as the agents began searching the house. They spoke to Lmbrjack about the tapes and the other items that the couple found.
Lmbrjack and his wife's home were taken over, and all their renovations had to stop! What was once a dream come true was turning into a nightmare, and Lmbrjack wondered when it would stop. Then the FBI made this proclamation.
Confiscating The Tapes
They would be confiscating all the tapes from the safe. Lmbrjack had only watched one and felt it was terrible, so the others must have been equally bad. The couple was quite relieved that these things were going to be removed, but they still wondered what would happen.
It seemed like nothing could get worse now, but the couple was wrong again! Before leaving with the tapes, the FBI made another announcement to Lmbrjack and his wife, which left them devastated.
Goodbye Money!
The FBI would be confiscating everything that had been uncovered in the basement. This included the suitcases of money the couple had initially discovered. Even though it was never their money, Lmbrjack and his wife couldn't help but feel heartbroken.
But what did Lmbrjack see on the tape that forced him to call the police? Fans kept speculating about the matter since they had been following the couple's story from the start. But there was only one man who could answer the question!
Criminal Investigation
The FBI launched a full-scale criminal investigation on the matter. Clearly, whatever they had seen had prompted such an inquiry. The authorities were tight-lipped about the incident, making people wonder even more about what was on those tapes.
Before leaving with the evidence, the FBI assured Lmbrjack and his wife that they wouldn't be in any trouble. Thet also stated that if certain artifacts proved to have no value in the investigation, they would be returned to the couple. But the real question everyone was dying to know was what was on the tapes?
No One Knows
At first, Lmbrjack was too scarred by what he saw to mention it to anyone, but after the FBI got involved, they forced him to remain quiet about what he saw. To date, no one knows exactly what those tapes contained, except that it wasn't good.
The situation proved to be a massive lesson for Lmbrjack and his wife, who probably don't feel like exploring anything else anytime soon. Let's just hope there aren't any other houses with terrifying secrets hidden in the basement.