Finding money.

4T5 · 7 Dec 2012 at 07:19

VIENNA, Austria — Vienna’s transport authority says a city bus driver checking a bag left behind by a passenger had the surprise of his life — $500,000 in neatly stacked bills.

Transit authority spokeswoman Anna-Maria Reich says the driver handed the stash to police who tracked down the owner, an unidentified elderly woman.

But the driver has nothing to show for his honesty beyond praise from superiors. Weeks later, the owner has not contacted him to offer a reward.

The incident happened last month and Reich confirmed details first reported Thursday by several Austrian tabloids. It was unclear why the woman was carrying so much cash.

The old girl didn't even give him a reward. ****** if I'd have give it back.

You ?

Edrof · 7 Dec 2012 at 07:23

I would have slipped him a few greenbacks in thanks. I certainly wouldn't have taken the money (would that be illegal?) as that kind of cash, in a holdall, would make me wonder which drug cartel was about to come knocking on my door.

4T5 · 7 Dec 2012 at 07:32

Think it was a paper bag.

I've returned all the items I've found in the past like handbags/wallets etc but I think if I found that amount of money in a paper bag I'd just get my passport & go have some fun, When I got back they could do what they liked to me.

Efour · 7 Dec 2012 at 07:50

Yeah i think id value my life too much to mess with whoever is laundering that kind of cash

Name · 7 Dec 2012 at 08:55

Yeah i was about to say,

Probably wasnt a reward cause the person who is dealing in that cash is clearly too busy fiddling with it

Good job the guy didnt take the bag home with him to keep the money, he may not be around anymore :eek:

psd99 · 7 Dec 2012 at 08:59

$500,000 wow

I can resist everything except temptation.

Pawnless Endgame · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:10

The most I've found was a £1 coin, a few times back in school

sbi5ar · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:15

Found £5 in my suit jacket the other day... was made up!

As someone said above... If you found it and kept it, would that be illegal? (sorry in advance for what might be a stupid question).

Dano · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:20

sbi5ar said:
Found £5 in my suit jacket the other day... was made up!

As someone said above... If you found it and kept it, would that be illegal? (sorry in advance for what might be a stupid question).

Not be in the UK it wouldn't I think, don't take that as gospel though, I'm just making an assumption on it after that court case over the lost and found winning lottery ticket that kinda proved that finders does not mean keeper :-)

Freddie1980 · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:28

I may have kept it but then I watched No Country For Old Men........

estebanrey · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:29

It would be illegal in the UK. We had a similar thread months ago and I looked it up. Can't remember the exact wording of the law but basically it boiled down to whether it was likely that someone would be looking for it, so finding £320k would mean you are legally obliged to hand it in, but if you found a pound coin in the street you can keep it.

Ascendancy · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:30

Theft by Finding.

Cosimo · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:35

Would have paid for that dream holiday of mine in Bogota.

malfunkshun · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:35

sbi5ar said:
As someone said above... If you found it and kept it, would that be illegal? (sorry in advance for what might be a stupid question).

IIRC, and I am happy to be corrected, but it would be illegal in the UK. I believe you are required to find out whether the item is actually abandoned or simply lost or unattended.

psd99 · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:41

Say you did keep it, how would you get away with it?

that is a lot of money - you'd be senile to put it in the bank
and crazy to keep it at home
so what would you do?

alexthecheese · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:44

Surely the police are on to whoever was tracked down to be the owner of that cash. If someone found £500k over here, in a bag, I'm pretty sure the police would be interested in the owner!

sbi5ar · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:44

psd99 said:
Say you did keep it, how would you get away with it?

that is a lot of money - you'd be senile to put it in the bank
and crazy to keep it at home
so what would you do?

Keep it in the freezer... No burglar is going to go rummaging through your turkey twizzlers when they break into your house!

I kind of feel bad for thinking I might keep it now (only because it looks like it would be illegal! I should have better morals

)

SeraphX · 7 Dec 2012 at 09:47

Wrong

The law states if a substantial amount of money is simply found in the street, in a carrier bag or paper bag you are perfectly right to do with it as you please.
Much like if you just happen across a £20 note on the pavement.

If money is found in a wallet or briefcase on the other hand, it can be considered theft.

psd99 · 7 Dec 2012 at 10:00

sbi5ar said:
Keep it in the freezer... No burglar is going to go rummaging through your turkey twizzlers when they break into your house!

I kind of feel bad for thinking I might keep it now (only because it looks like it would be illegal! I should have better morals )

yer but still that's in your own house
always be a risk wouldn't it?

is that where u keep your cash lol

Dreadhead · 7 Dec 2012 at 10:00

I found a £50 note on the floor of a chip shop as a child. I handed it in at the police station. About six weeks later I had a visit from the local bobby saying no-one had claimed it so I could have it.. I'd never had so much money!