New Orleans -- The Sewerage and Water Board may have just gotten an early Christmas present this year, after a St. Claude resident says returned a meter reading device he found just laying in the middle of a street.
It all started this past Tuesday afternoon something shiny caught Larry Henley's eye as he was making his way back on St. Ferdinand Street near Villere Street.
"I found it here in the middle of the road," Henley said.
At first, Henley wanted to move it to the side, then he realized it looked kind of valuable.
"You don't know unless you look," Henley said.
So he brought it home and asked his roommate Dawn Carl to help figure what it was, and who it belonged to.
"Once I got to looking and scrolling through on a few things and saw all the addresses," Carl explained.
Carl remembered Sewerage and Water Board employees had come by checking on meters earlier, that's when she realized the device was used to read meters.
"I was sitting there wondering what I could do to make bills for everybody be more of a Christmas present," Carl said jokingly.
That was just one of the funny thoughts that crossed her mind, another being: what if the wrong person had found it instead? Turns out the meter actually sells for around $1,000 online, and this isn't the first time Carl says she found a meter reading device.
"Probably the summer before last when we found one on the corner up here," Carl said.
That time, she told Eyewitness News, she found a meter reader nearby to hand it back. This Tuesday, it was different.
"When I tried to call and let them know that I found it, they didn't believe me," Carl said.
After a series of calls to different numbers, she was told a supervisor would come by Wednesday. To prove that happened, she shared security video of an employee pulling up and taking the device back.
"Here was all these people's personal information I was kind of astounded and you wouldn't try to walk back and you didn't realize you didn't lose something?" Carl said.
Eyewitness News contacted the S&WB about this case, they tell us they're thankful the equipment was returned, but couldn't confirm what was picked up and what was found.
"Accidents happen," Henley added.
The two roommates say they'd be happy to return more equipment if it happens again.
"I think a 12 pack of Yuengling would work really well," Carl said.
But Carl thinks she might have to charge.
The S&WB spokesperson also added they're still looking into what exactly happened.