Man Buys Car With $150K ATM Worker Accidentally Left Behind

A New Jersey man who allegedly picked up a bag of $150,000 in cash accidentally left behind by ATM workers bought a car with the money soon after.

Using surveillance video, police tracked down a white van that was seen pulling up to the business where the bag of cash was accidentally left on Monday, The Associated Press reported. The van led police to Alton Harvey, 42, who was arrested and charged with theft of mislaid property; he is being held on $125,000 bail.

The video shows the passenger in the van picking up the bag of money, the AP said.

Harvey told police he had been driving the van and said he bought a Chevrolet Tahoe, which had a sticker price of $46,000, with cash from the bag, the news organization said.

The van passenger was identified as Jamar Bludson, 35, of Newark, and police have issued a warrant for his arrest, the AP said.

Pix 11 reported that one of the ATM employees had been rearranging things in the vehicle when he laid the satchel on the ground. They realized 15 minutes later what they had done and returned immediately to the site, but the bag was already gone.

Police told Pix 11 neither employee is suspected of being involved in the theft.

CBS New York reported that one of the ATM workers, whom the station identified as working for ATMforUs.com, was so upset over the mistake that an ambulance had to be called.

Many people commenting on the CBS story said they thought the men in the van shouldn’t be in trouble and that the "finders keepers, losers weepers" rule should apply. But several went online to point out that there was a New Jersey statute on the books that said if the owner of the lost item can be identified, it has to be returned.

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