Connecticut Man 'Finds' $5,000 Cash in Bag in the Bank Parking Lot and Keeps it. He Gets in Trouble Three Months Later

A man from Trumbull, Connecticut comes across nearly $5,000 in a bag lying in a parking lot and decides to keep it. Three months later he is charged with a crime for keeping it and not turning it in to the bank or authorities, maintaining he did nothing wrong.

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Connecticut Man Finds Cash with Documents in a Bag & Keeps it

WMC Action News 5 reported that 56-year-old Robert Withington found a bag filled with nearly $5,000 in cash around 9:30 a.m. on 30 May 2023, and kept it thinking that he had incredibly good luck on that day.

Trumbull Police say the bag containing the cash was "clearly marked with the bank's insignia" and found outside of the bank branch on Quality Street. The cash belonged to the Trumbull Tax Collector's office, which was also inside the bag of cash.

Hearst Connecticut Media reported that Robert Withington maintains his innocence and continues to say he "didn't steal the money."

He said:

"I walked out onto the parking lot, saw something on the ground and there was no one around so I picked it up," he said. "It’s not like I stole something. It’s not like this was planned out. Everything was in the moment and it was like I hit the lottery. That was it.” -Robert Withington, Trumbull resident

Trumbull City Employee Reported the Missing Money

WMC Action News 5 reported the Trumbull City employee from the tax collector's office reported the missing bag of cash on 30 May 2023.

A full investigation began and detectives "obtained search warrants, reviewed multiple surveillance videos from local businesses, and conducted numerous interviews before learning the bag had been inadvertently dropped on the ground outside of the bank [where] Withington had picked it up."

Three months after Withington picked up the bag of cash, he has been charged with third-degree larceny. He willingly turned himself in on 25 August 2023 and awaits a court date on Tuesday, 5 September 2023.

Robert Withington points out that he has no history of crime in Trumbull, CT.

He said:

“I have never had a criminal record in my whole life. This is like a crock of baloney. I found money and now it’s probably going to cost me money.” -Robert Withington, Trumbull resident

He continued:

“I just took the cash and called it a day. I don’t even know whose it was because I didn’t look. All I saw was cash,” he said. “If I knew I was wrong in the first place, I would have given it right back. I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong.” -Robert Withington, Trumbull resident

Thoughts

Here are some questions for the reader:

• Do you think Robert Withington has a right to keep the money he found without penalty?
• Should he be allowed to pay the money back without being charged with a crime?
• Would you have kept the money or turned it in?

(Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments)

Please like and share this article on social media so others can be informed about this story.

Sources

Action 5 News profile page on Facebook.

An Evening of Reflection. "A Connecticut Man Found $5,000 In A Bag, 3 Months Later He Was Arrested For Not Turning It In." An Evening of Reflection - News Commentary Podcast. 30 August 2023.

The Associated Press. "Man arrested months after finding a bag full of $5,000 in cash in a parking lot." WMC Action News 5. 30 August 2023.

Holmes-Brown, Shaniece. "Trumbull man charged after finding $5K outside bank says he ‘just took the cash and called it a day’." Hearst Connecticut Media. 28 August 2023.