A MENARDS shopper discovered $29,000 wrapped in plastic and stuffed in an envelope in the store’s parking lot.
John Franson, from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, around 80 miles east of St. Paul, Minnesota, explained why he was later left with nothing.
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The man said he visited the home improvement store to purchase some wiring for his garage.
Franson spotted an unusual sight in the parking lot, as he went back to his vehicle.
The shopper saw a shopping cart with an envelope in it, on June 10 2017, according to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Franson explained that he did not initially realize what he had come across.
He said that he thought “someone forgot their grocery list.”
Upon closer inspection he discovered the paper had been filled with personal documents and lots of cash.
“I wondered if it was legitimate,” Franson said.
“I thought what did I get myself into.”
Franson said he did not keep a dime of the $29,000 as he worked to reunite the owner with their money.
He explained that he especially “had to return it” as he realized the missing owner was a parent to young children.
This journey however was not easy as Franson was unable to contact the owner, despite finding a name among the contents.
He then enlisted the help of the Eau Claire Police Department.
The police reportedly were able to reunite the cash with its owner and officers praised Franson for being an “honest person.”
Franson has not been the only shopper to unexpectedly come across thousands of dollars.
Rules on finding money
The saying “finders, keepers
While state and local laws may differ slightly, the majority will require you to attempt to find the owner of the money.
If you fail to make reasonable efforts to track down the owner, many states can charge you with theft or larceny of lost property.
The penalty will most likely be based on the value of the lost property as larger finds that are kept without making reasonable efforts to find the owner may be classed as a felony rather than a misdemeanor.
The term reasonable efforts includes asking people nearby if they dropped any cash, checking the envelope or wallet (if there is one) for an ID, handing it into a nearby store, or contacting the police on a non-emergency line.
Some laws will authorize the police to return the money to the finder if no one has claimed it after a period of time.
Always check your local and state laws which will most likely outline what to do if you find property or cash.
It is also advised that you contact the police or a criminal defense lawyer who can assist in what the laws state and how you should proceed.
Source: Criminal Defense Lawyer
A woman said she found $9,000 in a trash can outside a grocery store, The U.S. Sun previously reported.
The women, from El Dorado County, California, near South Lake Tahoe, said the money was stuffed in a bag.
This cash came in the form of 20s, 50s, and 100s.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office however revealed that the cash was in fact fake.
Another shopper however did come across $1,000 of real cash outside her grocery store.
Sonja O’Brien, from Greenville, New Hampshire, said she stopped to pick up some items for dinner but saw a bag fall from the back of a truck.
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