Antique artifacts reunited with owner

ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) - Detectives seized several items typical in a drug bust, but some things they found had them scratching their heads, wondering how suspected drug dealers got their hands on antique documents, some from the White House.
 
Stacks of documents, some dating back to the 1800s have been in evidence for more than a month. Now, the rightful owner was re-united with what she says are family treasures.

Detectives in Roswell raided two homes in January , and seized items such as drugs and guns, but they never expected to find something so unique, with so much history too.

"No one claimed them, so whenever the detective brought them back, he started going through them and realized he had some actually pretty interesting items in his possession," said Sabrina Morales, Public Information Liaison for the Roswell Police Department.

The items were pretty interesting to say the least. An evidence bag held stacks of antique documents, including a German Bible, German military documents, and items dating as far back as the 1800's and  early 1900's.
     
What appears to be stacks of old papers, had much more meaning to Wendy Lunsford. When asked if she thought she'd ever see these items again, Lunsford replied, "No I didn't, and I'm delighted to have this back."

The items were stolen from Lunsford's family during a January break-in. Documents recovered in the bust include Items left by her ancestors from Germany.

"I know that this was one of my grandfathers' notebooks," said Lunsford.

Lunsford retraced her grandfather's travels of the Klondike River in his search for gold as a stampeder.  While that may not hold too much value to the average person, some letters might.
     
Letters from the White House were in the stack of papers the detective handed back over to Lunsford, sent in 1936, signed by a private secretary.

One letter from the White House read, "Dear Mr. Pahl, the President has received your letter of Jan 30th with the enclosed clippings, and has asked me to thank you for your birthday greetings."

They're items Lunsford said can never be replaced, all found in a drug bust.

"They're extremely special to me, they may have no monetary value, but the value that they have for me for family, is immense," explained Lunsford.

Lunsford wanted to thank the detective who tracked her down, and got the items back to her.

Lunsford was disappointed when she found out letters between her mother and father when her dad was serving in World War II were not in the stack of documents. She's asking if anyone comes across letters from David and Margarita Layer, to call Roswell Police.
     
A 29-year-old Roswell woman was arrested during the raid for receiving stolen property, but police still don't know exactly who broke into Lunsford's home.