(AP) — Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg says recent automated calls to state residents in an effort to return unclaimed property to the rightful owners was an “extraordinary success.”

Stenberg says more than 28,000 Nebraskans were reached and claims totaling more than $1.4 million were initiated over the last three weeks.

The calls began in mid-September and ended Oct. 2. The prerecorded message included information about how to file claims with the state treasurer’s office.

Stenberg says more than $8.2 million of unclaimed property has been returned to Nebraskans so far in 2013. That’s more than the $6.6 million that was returned in all of 2012.

Nebraskans can search for unclaimed property anytime at www.treasurer.org or call the Unclaimed Property Division at 877-572-9688.