Yikes, he's creepy.

Luckily that woman reported that her notebook and the scratch-off were stolen or this guy may have got away with cashing in the ticket. 

Mighty careless of them to leave without the Winning Ticket/Notebook, considering the Ticket was worth $50,000!

I'm with you Raven62, who in their right mind would stop to have a meal before heading to the lottery headquarters.  I would have made a quick stop at Micky D's if the kid was hungry!!!  OH, if only I was so lucky!!!!!!!!!

What kind of idiot leaves a notebook containing $50,000 on a table in a diner, because that's exactly what it would be. I know that if I had won 50K on a scratch card, I'd be keepin it on my person at all times. Most likely down my pants.

Umm HOW did he know they had the winning ticket?? Someone bragged?

how is he being accused of aggravated theft?

she left it behind.losers weepers, finders keepers.

unless she signed it. he who has it owns it.

The guy probably just looked inside the notebook when he found it, hoping it contained something of value... which it did.

I guarantee that ANYBODY finding a notebook on a table like that would look inside -- even if to find out who it belongs to.

I agree with those who are thunderstruck by the fact that the winning ticket was placed inside a notebook to start with.  People just do dumb things sometimes.  The ticket should have been deep within a front pants pocket.  If it doesn't fit, fold it.  But to stick it in a notebook? 

Well, she did report the notebook stolen and the ticket stolen. That doesn't constitute "finders keepers, loser weepers" and the authorities must have agreed.

 I agree, Raven! 

"Yikes, he's creepy"

Scary, people never look too pretty when they get their mug shots taken!  LOL   

 "The victim reported that on December 26th she was dining with her son at the Denny's Restaurant located at 987 Kruse Way in Springfield. The victim stopped for lunch before driving to Oregon Lottery Headquarters in Salem to claim her prize on a winning $50,000 'Green & Gold' scratch-it ticket she had purchased two days earlier at a Stanfield, Oregon truck stop."

As others have already written, I just don't understand why someone who knows she has a winning ticket worth $50,000 would stick it in a notebook. 

Did the notebook have her name in it?  If she left an unsigned ticket on a counter or table, doesn't it belong to the person who is the "instrument bearer?"  Is there anything to indicate he actually stole the notebook? 

"Upon finishing their meal the victim and her son left without the notebook and returned about fifteen minutes later to retrieve it, but the table had been cleared and the notebook was gone."

This does seem to indicate that he found it and didn't turn it in, since he worked at the restaurant, but is that the same as stealing? It is to me and it might be immoral, but I wonder how many people find things they don't report. This just happens to be worth $50,000 (less taxes)  If I found an unsigned ticket in a public bathroom and it turned out to be a $50,000 winner, I would be completely honest when I got to Lottery Headquarters. However, I would still consider it to be mine if it wasn't signed.

The investigation determined suspect Dizick contacted the man and asked that he go to lottery headquarters with him to claim the prize because Dizick told the man he owed back taxes and child support."

He sounds like a creep, but putting him in jail for 10 years or fining him an amount he will never be able to pay isn't going to help his children.  He should be allowed to work and his wages garnished, but what good does sticking him in a cell while we foot the bill do for society?

LOL...I have to agree with all of you..and they say you cant judge a book by its cover..hahaha

We've had this discussion before, about whether a bearer instrument belongs to the person who finds it.  I think this case may prove that no, it doesn't.  You're supposed to turn money into police if you don't know who it belongs to, and if it's not claimed within a certain time period, then it belongs to you.  

This ticket obviously was not thrown away or discarded.  It was lost.  So even tho it's a bearer instrument, the employee was obligated to turn it over to the police.

Yes, I agree.  As I wrote earlier, what he did is morally wrong.  I wouldn't want to leave my wallet somewhere and learn that someone took it.  I've found money and other stuff & turned it in. However, a good lawyer could argue that he found the ticket on the floor or outside in the parking lot or in the dumpster.  What I was saying is that, knowing he owed back taxes and child support, he lied and asked someone else to accompany him to the Lottery.  If I walked into Denny's and found a ticket on the floor and it wasn't signed, I realize that I'd have no idea where it was purchased and they are all tracked.  But people have found tickets in FL and claimed them, and the Lottery awarded them the entire prize. I think the key is that he worked at the restaurant and he knew she came back to look for the notebook. She was probably frantic & hysterical.  I remember the thread where KY Floyd said (don't want to misquote anyone) something like money is not always a bearer instrument, since a wallet might be stolen or lost and the person finding the wallet doesn't have any right to that money.

I guess each individual situation is different and it's up to the lottery and/or the courts. Remember the story about St John, an elderly man who found a ticket in the trash? The original purchaser fought him in court even after the Lottery awarded St John the money, but he didn't lie when he made his claim. 

I just thought of the movie "Thelma & Louise." 

"He sounds like a creep, but putting him in jail for 10 years or fining him an amount he will never be able to pay isn't going to help his children.  He should be allowed to work and his wages garnished, but what good does sticking him in a cell while we foot the bill do for society?"

It'll get the word out to other would-be thieves that "Finders Keepers" doesn't apply under the law. 

"But people have found tickets in FL and claimed them, and the Lottery awarded them the entire prize."

If the original owner doesn't come forward, I could see why the lottery would award it to the bearer.  But if someone else comes forward and has some type of proof they lost it or that it was stolen, would the lottery still award the prize to the bearer?  Or would they let the courts decide?

I just thought of the movie "Thelma & Louise." 

It's been too long since I saw that movie, I don't get the reference.