Thomas Hall set his digital camera on the side of his truck bed when he drove home from work about a month ago. The next day he was left scratching his head over where the camera had gone.

The worth of the camera went far beyond its $250 Costco price tag. Not only was the camera essential for Hall’s work as a local contractor, it had personal value as well.

“It had my wife’s vacation photos on it,” Hall said.

However, thanks to the efforts of a few good samaritans, the camera made its way back to the hands of its rightful owner. A unidentified little boy found the camera on the street and gave it to the first house he came upon. Apparently the camera had fallen off Hall’s truck.

Jerry Minzel, the homeowner who took the camera from the boy, created fliers to spread the word that a lost camera had been found and attached them to various signs throughout the neighborhood.

When Hall came back to search for his camera, it was not until he had exhausted his search and was leaving that he spied one of Minzel’s fliers on a neighborhood watch sign. After calling Minzel and making sure that the camera was his, Hall was reunited with the camera.

Though Hall offered a reward, Minzel turned it down. For both Minzel and the boy it was really all just about giving the camera back to its rightful owner. As for Hall, “I was just really relieved to get the camera back,” he said.

Changlin Li is a student at Interlake High School and an intern with the Bellevue Reporter. He can be reached at 425.453.4270, ext. 5060.