Cape Woman Finds Lost Family Photos On Front Page Of Newspaper

SOUTH YARMOUTH (CBS) – A woman thought she was in big trouble after she lost dozens of precious family photos.

Until she read the newspaper.

Patti Thomas had gathered several old pictures – many dating back to the 1930's and 40's – and hopped on a bus to the public library last week. She planned on scanning the photos to make digital copies.

But somewhere along the way, the plastic bag filled with those pictures disappeared.

"I thought 'Oh my goodness!' I can't believe I lost the photos," Thomas said.

She re-traced her steps several times with no luck.

"Even when I hit dead ends I said 'I will find them.' They're that important."

Then, three days later, a relative called.

Her pictures were on the front page of Saturday's Cape Cod Times.

Tony Pinto of South Yarmouth had found the plastic bag in a gutter on Route 28.

Watch WBZ-TV report

There was no identification on it, so he took the photos to the paper, hoping to find the owner.

It worked.

Thanks to Pinto, Thomas has her photos once again.

"I was thinking I can't believe I got them back. But I knew I would," she said.

Thomas still plans to scan them at the library.  But she says she won't take the bus this time.