‘My faith in humanity was restored after a night out on Broad Street in Birmingham when I lost my wallet’

A business leader who lost his wallet during a night out in Birmingham has praised the city for its honesty after it was returned to him with everything intact.

After enjoying a night out with former colleagues on Birmingham’s Golden Mile - the city’s popular entertainment spot of Broad Street - Paul Roscoe was left forlorn. The chief operating officer with telecommunications specialist PiPcall dropped his wallet full of cards, cash and personal items.

Once he realised, he assumed it was lost and began to cancel each item - assuming that he would never see it again. But he was wrong. Before he knew it, Paul received a call from the police, explaining that a member of the public had handed his wallet in to a Westside BID street warden, who had passed it onto them.

Mr Roscoe said: “Last Wednesday [14 February], I was rushing through Broad Street after a fun night out with ex-colleagues when I must have dropped my wallet getting into a taxi. The next morning, the dread hit me when I couldn't find it anywhere. I was resigned that my wallet was gone for good, and that I'd have to cancel cards and report everything missing.

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“But then my wife received a text from the police asking me to contact them. It turns out a kind stranger found my wallet and handed it over to a warden, who then gave it to the police. That day I travelled back into the city to get my wallet and, to my surprise, everything was still there, including cash, cards and driving licence.

“I couldn't believe my luck, and the relief was immense. There are still good people out there. In a world where we often hear about the negatives, this was a shining example of kindness and decency. It's easy to get disheartened by all the negative news, but stories like this show that there are unsung heroes all around us, doing good deeds every day.

“So, to the anonymous person who found my wallet, to the Westside BID warden and diligent officers at West Midlands Police, I want to say a huge thank you.” Mr Roscoe added: “Your actions restored my faith in humanity and inspired me to spread this story being a positive outcome. Even in tough times, there's still so much goodness in the world."

Nicky Whitehurst was the Westside BID street warden who was given the lost wallet and passed it on to West Midlands Police. Ms Whitehurst, an assistant manager on the warden team, said: “It’s so nice to hear how pleased and grateful Mr Roscoe was to receive his wallet back, but this really is part of our job every day.

“We provide security and help visitors feel safe in the area, and this often includes finding everything that people lose on nights out. We always make sure these go straight to the police so the owner can be found. The real thanks should go to the member of the public who found and handed in the wallet. Their honesty is the really pleasing part of this process.”

Inspector Christian Harrison, who looks after the city centre area for West Midlands Police, said: “This is a great example of how we work closely with the Westside BID warden team and the public themselves to make sure everyone is always looked after in the best way possible. This reassures us all that there are fantastic people amongst our communities who look out for each other, and I want to thank everyone for their support.”