Purse Stolen 14 Years Ago Found In NH Trash Can

SEABROOK, NH (CBS) – A purse stolen nearly a decade and a half ago, has found its way back to its owner.

In December of 2002, Lisa Hall Mazzaglia was a Boston news director, inspired by a story she saw about giving back. She paid it forward and purchased presents for needy children. As she was loading them into her car, someone swiped her purse out of the shopping cart.

"It dampened your Christmas spirit a little bit that you were trying to do something nice and something like that happens," Mazzaglia said.

But the story doesn't end here - it jumps a decade.

"I happened to open up this barrel and I see a purse that had been dusty for quite some time," Beau Haines said.

Beau Haines, a Market Basket employee, found the bag while collecting trash Tuesday. Fourteen years later, he turned it into police.

"I was stunned… I never expected to get it back. You know, you go through the hassle of canceling all of the cards and phones and pagers back at the time," Mazzaglia said.

Most of the cash inside was gone, but Mazzaglia says she couldn't believe remained: her old, clunky cell phone, a pager, a camera and undeveloped film.

"It was kinda like being delivered a small time capsule," Mazzaglia said.