Man finds $150,000 in garden

[AllardChardon]

Man finds $150,000 in garden
By Claudine Zap/The Lookout

As the old saw goes, money doesn't grow on trees. But sometimes it sprouts up in the garden. An unemployed man in northern Illinois was out working in his backyard when he came across some serious green: bags filled with $150,000 cash.

Wayne Sabaj was headed to pick some broccoli to go with his roast. The carpenter spotted duffel bags that looked like trash by the peppers -- but they turned out to be a cash crop: stacks of $20 bills that added up to about $150,000. The 49-year-old, who is living with his dad, did not exactly jump for joy.

The out-of-work carpenter told ABC7, "I could really use this money." But with this money comes trouble. He explained, "With my luck, it would be bank robbery and I'd get caught and say I'd robbed a bank."

So the honest man with money troubles alerted the police to his amazing backyard treasure.

For now, police haven't a clue to where the cash came from: There are no reported burglaries in the area, and no banks have been robbed.

Then there was the concern that whoever left the money behind would be back, and that's a problem the Sabaj men would rather have solved by the police.

If nobody comes forward to legitimately claim the cash, there may be a happy ending for the man tending his garden: Police will help figure out if Sabaj can keep the money. The carpenter has retained an attorney just in case.

For now, the cash is in custody with the country sheriff, who left behind a card on the lawn where Sabaj found the bags, bearing the simple message, Please call.



This one gave me quite a chuckle. I hope you enjoyed it, too.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

It's probably drug money. As soon as the police crime lab samples it and gets cocaine residue, they'll seize in under RICO. But he may get a reward for turning it in. One can always hope.

 

[mynameisben]

It's probably drug money. As soon as the police crime lab samples it and gets cocaine residue, they'll seize in under RICO. But he may get a reward for turning it in. One can always hope.

I have read over and over again that 90% and more of all the $20 bills in circulation in the U.S. have trace amounts of cocaine on them. But I'm betting the real figure is exactly 100%, because the bills come that way straight from the mint. By impregnating each $20 bill with a trace amount of cocaine, government officials will always have a "legitimate" claim to seize any cash that may turn up in some old man's garden as drug money.

 

[AllardChardon]

I liked the note the police left, saying, "Please call". Hahahaha, like anyone ever would!

 

[TE999]

Once the sheriff gets a suitable contribution to his personal retirement fund, the dude will get the rest of the money back.

 

[Dragonlipz]

AC - very interesting story but I've a hunch that there's much more that someone is not relating.....the hidden twist, as it were....

 

[R. Richard]

Man finds $150,000 in garden
The out-of-work carpenter told ABC7, "I could really use this money." But with this money comes trouble. He explained, "With my luck, it would be bank robbery and I'd get caught and say I'd robbed a bank."

So the honest man with money troubles alerted the police to his amazing backyard treasure.

For now, police haven't a clue to where the cash came from: There are no reported burglaries in the area, and no banks have been robbed.

Then there was the concern that whoever left the money behind would be back, and that's a problem the Sabaj men would rather have solved by the police.

If nobody comes forward to legitimately claim the cash, there may be a happy ending for the man tending his garden: Police will help figure out if Sabaj can keep the money. The carpenter has retained an attorney just in case.

For now, the cash is in custody with the country sheriff, who left behind a card on the lawn where Sabaj found the bags, bearing the simple message, Please call.

The money is very probably drug money. Whoever dumped the money would very probably have been back to get the money from the Sabaj men. However, now they have to go talk to the police (and the IRS) to find out where the money came from. Chances are, they don't go and talk to the police.

The laws vary quite a bit from jusrisdiction to jurisdiction, but after a year, with no legitimate claims, the money normally goes to the finder. So, the Sabaj men have to wait for a year, but no hoodlums come to take the money from them. Clever.

 

[AllardChardon]

I hope honesty pays off for this guy, but one never knows for sure. Follow- up stories for things like this rarely make the press, for good reason. Why tip the bad guys off?