Mystery man gives pensioner $5k cash

A 78-year-old pensioner in Auckland experienced a peculiar incident: a complete stranger gave him $5000 in cash and then quickly left.

The event occurred a week before Christmas while the pensioner was gardening. The stranger, a fit young man in his 20s, simply asked the older man’s name, handed over an envelope containing 100 crisp $50 notes, and then ran away.

The pensioner, who has built his own business and is unfamiliar with sudden windfalls told legacy media he was baffled by the act. Concerned about potential risks associated with this unexplained money, he reported the incident to the police and handed over the cash. He even spent a night in a hotel due to worry.

The mystery deepened when he learned that this stranger had visited his home two days earlier, asking for him by name when his daughter answered the door. The police have not been able to explain the situation, despite obtaining security camera footage of the man.

The pensioner, who wished to remain anonymous, reflected on his life of helping others and writing off debts, cannot fathom why someone would give him this money.

According to police, if the cash remains unclaimed after a month it can be claimed by the person who handed it (ie. the pensioner) in or it will be deposited into Crown accounts. The pensioner, however, remains uncertain about claiming the money due to its mysterious origins.