Indian Cab Driver Returns $230,000 Worth of Jewelry

Jewelry designer Anthony Camargo says he began chasing after the cab when realized he'd left a bag containing samples of his latest collection in its trunk.

But the cab -- and the $230,000 worth of jewelry inside -- were nowhere to be found.

Luckily, the bag was left in a cab being driven by 26-year-old Mohammed Hussain. On Wednesday, Hussain returned the 42 pieces of ornate jewelry and received from Camargo an undisclosed monetary reward and a pair of sapphire earrings.

"What he did was so admirable," Camargo said.

Camargo co-owns Anthony-Nak Fine Jewelry in Austin, Texas. Celebrities who've worn his colorful pieces include Jennifer Lopez, first lady Laura Bush, Britney Spears and Cher.

The designer left the bag in Hussain's cab Saturday after a visit to Barney's New York in the ritzy Gold Coast neighborhood. He reported the missing jewelry to police, but didn't have the cab number or the name of the company.

"My whole staff of 40 people didn't sleep for two days," Camargo said.

Hussain, who came to the United States from India 2 1/2 years ago, has been driving a cab for about a year. He said he found the bag Sunday morning, but didn't open it right away.

"I didn't know there was jewelry there. I took it back to my apartment and just kept it," Hussain said. "The next morning I said, 'Let's see what's there,' and I found the jewelry."

He sent an e-mail to Camargo later that day.

Last week a terrorist paid her restraunt check, then detonated the belt of explosives around her waist.

Meaning what? Actually, I find the title a bit insulting, as if this is some sort of exception to the rule for Indians. Your response is beneath FR -- you should apologize.

This thread was started just as I came down with the flu so I did not respond to the flames I caught for my comment. Since you brought this back up now, I will explain.

It is very admirable that the property was returned by a muslim. It is my experience with several muslim friends that they are honest and trustworthy with property and debts. As a society, they have taught respect for property by enforcing strong laws. The penalty for stealing in the middle east can still be chopping off the hands. I think there was a thread recently that reported a thief getting this penalty. This respect for property and owed money is very noble.

Our own society has degraded to the point where people do not respect the ownership of others and have little hesitation to steal. If a lost item is found - it is fair game to many people. Skipping out on a check is no big deal. This is shameful and indicates a slide in our ethics and morals.

However, there is a significant difference in the value placed on material things and living things. For the muslim, it is not wrong to kill an infidel - in fact the murder of a non-beliver is rewarded with heaven. Women are considered property and can be treated as such. Property ownership and paying a debt has a higher value than life itself. The jihad that has been declared against us is against our lives, not our property.

This is what I intended with my comment.

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