Cash Spills onto Highway, Cops Seek Two Men Seen Hugging Bags

Pennsylvania cops are searching for two men who were last seen heading toward their car hugging bags of cash that spilled from a bank courier van onto a busy highway.

The missing bags are believed to have contained almost $100,000.

Drivers thought they had hit the jackpot on Wednesday when the door of a Fidelity Courier Services van accidentally flew open, bags containing cash “well into the six figure” fell onto the road, according to police. At least one of the bags burst open, and drivers pulled over to grab some of the flying $10, $20 and $50 bills.

Police called the scene  ”total confusion.”

Lt. James Englert of the Upper St. Clair Police Department told ABCNews.com that police managed to retrieve about $400 from the ruptured bag and estimate that passers-by picked up around $1,500, but the bulk of the money was in several sealed bags .

Englert said that numerous witnesses have called in to report that two white males in their 20's or 30's are responsible for making off with the bags that didn’t break.

“We feel fairly confident to say that missing money was picked up by two white males who gathered these bags from the highway surface, clutched them to their chest, made their way back to their vehicle and continued southbound,” Englert said.

The police are asking for people to return the money. People who promptly return the cash will not face any penalties and will receive a reward, but others who do not could face theft charges.

“This is not a finders keepers by any stretch of the imagination,” Englert  told ABCNews.com. “This money is the property of the banks. We’re allowing people an ample window of time to come forward and do the right thing.”

Englert said that some of the money had already been returned to the police department Wednesday night.

These men could face criminal prosecution if the money is not returned.

Fidelity Courier Services told ABCNews.com that the company had “no comment” on the matter.

 

Drivers on Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania's Route 19 thought it was their lucky day when the door or a bank courier van swung open and spilled bags containing more than $100,000 in cash on the road. (Photo credit: ABC News)