A Lewisville barber found $128,514 in cash on top of a Bank of America ATM and turned it over to police, who confirmed that not a dollar was missing.
The 37-year-old man, who requested anonymity, discovered the money August 3 at an ATM on West Main Street. He also found a smaller bag containing 19 checks, CBS News Texas reported, citing police.
A stop at Chick-fil-A
Information on one of the bags led the man to believe the money belonged to a nearby Chick-fil-A. He drove to the restaurant, but a manager told him the business had no connection to the cash.
The man then called 911, and Lewisville officers took custody of the bags.
A receipt inside the cash bag listed the amount as $128,514. An officer counted the money twice, checked the total with a digital currency counter and secured the cash in the department’s property room. The amount matched the receipt.
Cash left behind during ATM service
Investigators determined that the money belonged to Bank of America and that a Brinks technician had accidentally left it on the ATM after servicing the machine, CBS reported.
Police found no indication that the cash had a connection to criminal activity. Bank of America later recovered the money.
Brinks declined to discuss the incident, citing its general policy against commenting on law enforcement matters involving the safety of its employees or others, according to CBS.
Police want to recognize the man
“I’ve had cases where good Samaritans have turned in property that they found, wallets, IDs, things like that,” Detective Gina Miller told CBS News Texas. “But in the case of $128,000, I’ve never had somebody turn in that kind of money before.”
“This person didn’t blink. They took it directly to where they thought it was supposed to be,” Police Chief Brook Rollins told NBC DFW.
Police did not give the man a reward, and he did not seek public recognition, NBC reported.
Lewisville police want to honor him. The man told CBS he would attend a private ceremony if the department recognizes him.
