A YOUNG boy said he found over $700 in the parking lot of a PetSmart store and knew what he needed to do in response.
Anthony Wright was left with none of the money but he received something else in return.
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The boy, who was eight at the time, had visited a strip mall in Livonia, Michigan, in the suburbs of Detriot.
The boy was with his aunt when he said he saw banknotes flying in the wind of the Millennium Park shopping center parking lot in February 2016, according to the Detriot Free Press.
His aunt, Roberta Wright, revealed that she initially did not believe her nephew.
“When we got out of the car, he ran and started picking the money up,” she recalled.
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Anthony had gathered $770 and told his aunt to report the discovery to the cops.
“I thought I could cheer my auntie up by giving it to the police,” he said.
Although the youngster turned in all the money he received several plaques and recognition from his local officials.
Anthony’s honesty and actions were honored by Livonia’s mayor and council members at a City Council meeting.
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The money was returned to two sisters, Lama and Rama Kharboutl, who had called the police to check if the money had been found.
These sisters said they were surprised somebody would willingly report the lost cash.
I found an open wallet containing $6k by a cash register - the money didn’t end up in my pocket but I was still rewarded
“We’re glad that we got it back,” Lama said.
“We need more people like him.”
The police chief, Curtis Caid, praised Anthony at the event.
“Today, we’d like to recognize his contribution and certainly his dedication and how proud we are of him and his family,” he said.
Rules on finding money
The saying "finders, keepers
While state and local laws may differ slightly, the majority will require you to attempt to find the owner of the money.
If you fail to make reasonable efforts to track down the owner, many states can charge you with theft or larceny of lost property.
The penalty will most likely be based on the value of the lost property as larger finds that are kept without making reasonable efforts to find the owner may be classed as a felony rather than a misdemeanor.
The term reasonable efforts includes asking people nearby if they dropped any cash, checking the envelope or wallet (if there is one) for an ID, handing it into a nearby store, or contacting the police on a non-emergency line.
Some laws will authorize the police to return the money to the finder if no one has claimed it after a period of time.
Always check your local and state laws which will most likely outline what to do if you find property or cash.
It is also advised that you contact the police or a criminal defense lawyer who can assist in what the laws state and how you should proceed.
Source:Criminal Defense Lawyer
Anthony smiled through the event and shared why he handed over the cash, according to Click on Detriot.
“I want to be a leader,” he explained.
The U.S. Sun has reported on other people who have come across large sums of money and explained what next steps they took.
A man discovered $100,000 in a bag but explained why he decided to not keep the cash, even though police said he could.
Altaf Chaus, a Burger King franchisee, said one of his employees found the bag after it was left at a table.
He explained that he called to cops after waiting some hours for someone to show up.
"I open the zipper, I see lots of money, cash money, $100 bills stack up like half the bag, money," Chaus said.
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Cops told him that he could keep the money if someone did not step forward to claim it within six months, but the franchisee said he wouldn’t.
"So I'm a very hard-working man. I don't want that money, maybe it belongs to somebody,” he said.
