Deputies Find Gold Jewelry In Santa Clarita Drug Drop-off Box

SANTA CLARITA (CBSLA.com) — Authorities say a drug drop-off bin at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Santa Clarita Valley station was - for at least one day  - a sentimental treasure chest for one Southland family.

KNX 1070's Claudia Peschiutta reports that's when a narcotics detective found a prescription pill bottle filled with what appeared to be gold jewelry instead of the usual medications.

Detectives assigned to the Santa Clarita Valley (SCV) Sheriff's Station regularly receive unused or outdated prescriptions in the station's drug drop-off bins located in front of the station - approximately 400 pounds of drugs are collected each week at the SCV Sheriff's Station alone, authorities said.

Last week, in one of the numerous pill bottles collected when the bins were emptied, a narcotics detective found a prescription pill bottle filled with what appeared to be gold jewelry instead of the usual medications, authorities said.

The jewelry apparently was placed in the drop-off bin by mistake.

After a station narcotics detective learned that the previous owner of the prescription had passed away, the detective was then able to locate the deceased man's son, a 46-year-old university professor in San Diego, who asked to remain anonymous.

Sheriff's Deputy Joshua Dubin said the detective learned the necklace and two bracelets had great sentimental value to the man after it had been given to him as a gift several years ago.

"He was very surprised to hear about it," Dubin said. "He wasn't the person that actually had dropped off the jewelry, so he was extremely grateful."