Stolen wallet returned to owner intact after 47 years

A man, Dennis Helmer, whose wallet was stollen nearly 50 years ago during a burglary at his parents’ house has surprisingly got his wallet back.

The 78-year-old who lives in of Westmont, New Jersey, received a call recently from one Don Williams, who told him a wallet containing documents with his name was found in the ceiling of his Bellmawr home by a contractor.

The wallet’s contents included Helmer’s 1957 Selective Service card, a St. Christopher Medal, a 1956 receipt for his $168 tuition payment to Drexel University and photos including a snapshot of Helmer posing with his Camden Catholic High School prom date, The Inquirer reported.

It turns out the Williamses had had a fire, and in refurbishing their house, a contractor had found the wallet in a ceiling, along with some books and a newspaper from 1945, Helmer said.

Don Williams saw Helmer’s name in the wallet, looked him up on the web, and made contact.

Helmer said the wallet was apparently stolen during a burglary at his parents’ home in 1970. He said he never knew it was missing until Williams called him.

In May 1970, when Helmer was 31, he and Mary Ann had attended an anniversary party for Helmer’s parents at his sister’s house in Westmont. During the fete, a burglar had broken into the parents’ house — Helmer’s childhood home — a mile away and snatched some jewelry. Evidently, the sneak then scuttled into Helmer’s room and grabbed his old wallet from high school.

He said the St. Christopher medal was a gift from his grandmother that has now been transferred to his current wallet.

“She said to always have it with me,” Helmer told The Inquirer.