Apparently being a thief pays. 19 years ago bank manager Otto Neuman stole £150,000 in cash, gold bars, and gold coins from his own branch. When he was caught there was only about £51,000 left in cash and the gold recovered. In a bureaucratic twist of events the bank did not claim the money because their insurance company covered their losses. The insurance company also did not claim the money because the gold they recovered had increased enough in value (since it was stolen) that it covered their money spent covering the bank.

Herbert Eichenseder, Neuman's lawyer, has confirmed that an Austrian court has now ordered, some 19 years after the events, that Neuman is to be returned the £51,000 he stole.

Mr. Eichenseder said: "I really didn't believe what the court were telling me but I checked it and it was correct. I had to go into the archives in our cellar to find the details of the case as it was already 19 years old - and I managed to track down the man's details and contacted him to tell him the news. To say that he was surprised was an understatement, but he provided his bank account details and the money has now been transferred."

-Via Orange