Woman loses cash; finder could face felony

You can forget that old saying about finders being keepers.

A man in Dalton could face felony charges after he found an envelope full of cash at a gas station and then pocketed it.

Police there are looking for a suspect who was wearing blue jeans and a dark jacket with white shoulder stripes. On Friday around 4:30 p.m., security cameras captured grainy images of the man picking up an envelope containing $950. He then paid for his gas and drove off in a Toyota Camry or Corolla that was about two decades old.

The envelope belonged to a Dalton woman who had stopped at the gas station after cashing a check, police said.

Depending upon how uncooperative he is, the man could face a felony charge of theft of lost or mislaid property, Officer Will Bryan of the Dalton Police Department told the AJC.

"The main thing is we'd like to get the money back," Bryan said.

The crime is a violation of state law punishable by up to 10 years in prison if the value of the property exceeds $500. It's a misdemeanor for lesser amounts.

Bryan said people who find wads of cash -- or anything else of value -- should try to find the rightful owner. If ownership can't be determined, they should call police.

Dalton police spokesman Bruce Frazier said in such cases, officials would try to find the rightful owner. After a set period of time, in accordance with state law, lost cash then would go into the city's general fund, he said. If someone steps forward to claim money or anything else of value, the city can provide reimbursement after ownership is proven, he said.

Bottom line: Finders-keepers is out.

LINK TO VIDEO SURVEILLANCE

http://www.ajc.com/news/woman-loses-cash-finder-776786.html