An Armored Truck Sprayed Money All Over The Highway Today, And The Police Are Saying The Motorists Who Scrambled To Pick Up The Free Money Can Be Charged With Theft
WaPo – A door malfunction on an armored vehicle sent money flying along Interstate 270 on Friday morning. The incident, which began about 8 a.m., initially was thought by officials to involve the crash of an armored vehicle that was headed northbound on I-270 near Route 80 in Urbana. The driver of the vehicle, which was owned by Canada-based GardaWorld, was in the far left lane of the interstate when a lock on a door of the Ford E-350 van malfunctioned. A bag of cash fell out, sending bills flying. It was still being determined how much money flew out. Drivers stopped, got out of their vehicles and started grabbing the cash, police said. So many vehicles stopped that they essentially shut down the northbound lanes of the road. No one was injured. When a fire official also stopped and turned on the emergency lights of his vehicle, drivers fled onto Route 80 with money, police said. By the time troopers arrived on the scene, “there wasn’t much to pick up,” said Greg Shipley, a spokesman with the state police. Shipley said the driver realized the door was open, and he was looking for a way to pull over and stop. “By the time he gets over, cash is floating through the air,” Shipley said. “Most, if not all the vehicles suddenly stopped with people’s hands raised in the air.” “Traffic came to a stop when all the motorists stopped to pick up the cash,” he said. “The cash was so quickly picked up by numerous motorists.” Police searched the area and brought in one of their dogs to sniff for the money. They found a little over $200 along the shoulder of the highway. A call to Garda, the armored vehicle company, was not immediately returned. Anyone who took the money should turn it in to the state police barracks in Frederick, officials said. “Sorry folks, it is not your money,” Shipley said. “If you picked it up and turn it in, you’re being a good citizen.” And if not? The highway money grabbers could be charged with theft, according to police. Shipley said investigators would be looking at area traffic cameras to try to identify people. Surprisingly, there were no immediate pictures of people grabbing the flying cash on social media. Shipley suspects “people were too busy collecting cash to take a picture.” One citizen did come in to the Frederick barracks at about noon to turn in $1,160 in $20 bills, Shipley said.
I’m sorry, come again, theft? In what world is this theft? The second the money is floating through the air, it’s a free for all. No holds barred, finders keepers slobberknocker. The only crime here is the truck littering. Good for those commuters to take time out of their busy day to clean up the highways. And come on, really. Let’s just think about this one. It has to be the cops trying to scare people into returning the money right? There’s no way in Hell it’s theft for picking money up off the road. If you break into the truck, yes, I get that’s theft. When it’s flying through the air like one of those game show games where you’re put in a box full of money and try to grab as much as you can in 30 seconds, that’s just fun for everyone. And a stroke of good luck. Great moments are born from great opportunities. You don’t give back $1,160. You just don’t. Plus if you spend it before they find you, you never really had any money at all.
