What’s the spookiest thing you’ve found in your self-storage unit? For most, it’s nothing more than a layer of dust or an unwanted 8-legged visitor, but these individuals got far more than a little extra room when they purchased their abandoned storage units…
#1 Skeletal remains
We’re used to seeing a plastic skeleton every now and then – it is October after all – but real-life human remains? Not so much.
“So far as I know, my grandmother’s in one of those units.”
Back in 2012, police were called to search a storage unit after the site’s owners threatened to auction the unit following a series of missed payments. Upon their arrival, police did indeed find the skeletal remains of the grandmother (Ann Bunch), who was thought to have been left in the unit to decompose for 17 years.
Although at first it may sound rather sinister, it’s not quite as bad as it seems. To cut a long story short, following Ann’s death, her family took her body to a funeral home to prepare her for burial, however, rainstorms and a dysfunctional truck put a stop to this. Feeling distressed, Ann’s daughter, Bobbie Barnett Hancock, made the decision to store her mother’s body in one of her family’s storage units – which is where it stayed for the next 17 years.
Hancock very nearly took this secret to the grave, however, chose to tell her daughter Rebecca her horrifying secret just before her passing…
#2 A stalker’s storage haven
Everyone has a favourite celebrity. And whilst you might follow them on social media or pay to see them in concert from time to time, it’s unlikely you’ll go to the lengths of this unit’s owner.
It seems 2012 really was the year of creepy self-storage finds. That very year the unit of Madonna’s infamous stalker was unlocked…and the findings were somewhat scary. The storage container was put up for auction following missed payments, and when it was unlocked, a range of strange items were found, including:
- Endless Madonna memorabilia (no surprises there)
- A killer clown mask
- A collection of knives
- A headless doll
#3 A mummified leg
Picture it: you purchase an abandoned storage unit in an auction, with your eyes set on the barbecue smoker taking pride of place in the container. You take the BBQ home to dust it off ready for your next meal only to find it’s already occupied…by a human leg.
This shocking story made headlines across the world and even had its very own docufilm – ‘Finders Keepers’ – made in 2015. So, what’s the deal? Although the story may sound pretty sinister at first, there’s actually a pretty good reason the leg was there.
Back in 2004, John Wood was involved in a plane crash which caused his leg to be amputated below the knee. When his leg was returned to him, John considered a few options for the limb, but ultimately settled on the decision to mummify it himself – in none other than a barbecue grill.
We won’t give too much away for those keen to watch the documentary, but ultimately, the situation ends in a pretty bizarre custody battle…
What’s in your unit?
Whilst we’re yet to come across any human remains, we have seen our storers get very creative over the years. From private gyms to workshops, our storage units make for the perfect blank canvas to build a space that works for you. Get a free no-obligation quotation to kick-start your journey towards better self-storage.