$10,000 returned after Brink's truck drops money on New Jersey highway

USA TODAY
Police said there will be no charges for people who picked up money after it fell from a Brink's truck on Route 3 in East Rutherford and returned it.

WOODLAND PARK, N.J. – At least $10,000 was returned to the East Rutherford Police Department on Thursday night after a Brink's truck dropped cash on a busy New Jersey road during morning rush hour.

Drivers on both sides of Route 3 came to a halt to try to grab some of the money fluttering around the highway, but the money doesn't belong to them and should be returned, police said. The money technically belongs to Brink's until it is delivered to its ending destination, said East Rutherford Police Capt. Phil Taormina.

Police determined that the armored truck's back door malfunctioned and did not shut properly, causing a bag of money to fall out. It is unknown how much money fell out of the truck and is still unaccounted for.

Taormina said that several people have reached out to the police department to return the money they gathered from the roadway.

In a video posted to Twitter by Sabrina Quagliozzi, one of the Brink's employees can be seen attempting to collect the scattered money. Those that picked it up while driving along Route 3 have no claim and could face prosecution.

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"It would be like theft of mislaid goods," Taormina said Thursday. "The truck was parked on the shoulder and two armed guards, Brink's employees, were trying to gather the money."

A person could be arrested and charged with theft if they don't return the money, Taormina said. The police department said that anyone who picked up money can call them to make arrangements to return it without charges being filed.

Detectives are investigating the incident by scouring through photos and videos posted to social media and video surveillance from New Jersey Department of Transportation cameras posted along the highway. Taormina said police will try to look for anything that would be distinguishing about the people and cars that stopped.

Follow Kaitlyn Kanzler on Twitter: @KaitlynKanzler8

This article originally appeared on North Jersey Record: $10,000 returned after Brink's truck drops money on New Jersey highway