Houston megachurch Lakewood Church. Joel Osteen’s ministry is located in the ex-Arena for the Houston Rockets.
Nearly $600,000 was stolen from the church by thieves in 2014. That crime is still unsolved.
Now, the plumber has discovered that nearly $600,000.00 was hidden within a church bathroom wall!
According to a plumber, he discovered money inside a wall when he was working at the church in Nov. 10, 2021. The news came to light during the radio morning show at 100.3 The Bull.
It was amazing! Morning Show Host George Lindsey stated. The things that he told us they found within the walls.
Lindsey was stunned when he heard from viewers on Thursday morning. However, this particular caller took the segment to the next level.
According to the caller, “There was loosely located toilet on the wall. We removed it.” We went to remove the toilet. I removed insulation and 500 envelopes were thrown out the wall. I thought, “Oh my God!
According to the caller, there was cash in the envelopes and check inside.
“I spoke to the maintenance supervisor, who I contacted and I submitted it,” he said.
He was an honest man and gave the money to church. However, the plumber might have been able to keep the money, as he cited the doctrine Finders Keepers. I don’t think so.
A relevant precedent can be found here South Staffordshire Water Co. v. Sharman (1896). Sharman was hired to remove a muddy swimming pool. Sharman found two rings hidden in the mud beneath the pool. Sharman was sued by the company to retrieve the rings. The opinion was written by Lord Russell for Queen’s Bench. “The freeholder of The Water Company” was Lord Russell. locus in quo.” South Staffordshire was the owner of the pool. Lord Russell argued that the Water Company was entitled to prohibit anyone from coming onto their land and in any other way interfering. Lord Russell argued that the Water Company held “control” over “anything in the pool.” “The ownership of land comes with it. . . All that’s attached to, or below this land is yours. “Affixed to or below that land” in this instance were the rings embedded into the mud of a pool. Accordingly, the Rings belonged to Water Company. The fact that the Water Company did not know about the rings was irrelevant.
The “locus in fact” was owned by the church, I believe. According to the church, the plumber was only a licensed person who could enter the property for specific purposes. Any actions that were not permitted by the church would be considered trespass. The envelopes were literally hidden inside a wall. It wasn’t exactly like a ring that was buried in the ground, but it is close enough to the common law.