Hotel maids return lost heirloom jewelry

EAU CLAIRE, Wis., Dec. 4 (UPI) -- A Wisconsin woman says she was pleasantly surprised to hear two maids at a local hotel had found the heirloom jewelry she had feared was lost forever.

Lynnae Helland of Eau Claire said she realized she lost more than $3,000 worth of jewelry after staying at The Plaza Hotel and Suites but calls to the hotel offered no clue to the heirlooms' location, the Leader-Telegram newspaper in Eau Claire reported Thursday.

"I was just sick to my stomach," Helland said of her reaction to last weekend's jewelry disappearance. "I didn't sleep at all that night."

Helland said Wednesday she received a call that hotel housekeepers Sue Weggen and Cheryl Wilson had found the jewelry and turned it in.

"I got a call (Wednesday) morning and was told a maid had found my jewelry and turned it in," Helland told the Leader-Telegram. "Every single piece was there."

Tammy Cook, housekeeping supervisor for the Plaza, said it was the staff's pleasure to reunite Helland with her missing goods.

"She was very happy and she gave us a tip," Cook said.