A Texas barber found $128,514 in cash sitting on top of a Bank of America ATM and did exactly what you would not expect: he called the police instead of walking away with it. The 37-year-old Lewisville resident, who has chosen to remain anonymous, discovered the money on Aug. 3 while visiting the ATM.
The Discovery
The barber noticed a bag of cash, along with a smaller bag containing 19 checks, perched atop the machine. Instead of pocketing the fortune, he tried to track down who it belonged to. He asked around, reached out to a nearby business, and ultimately decided the safest move was to hand the whole mess over to the authorities.
Detective Gina Miller of Lewisville Police confirmed the bag appeared to have been forgotten. “The bag was just sitting there,” Miller said. “It looked like it was just left there by accident.”
What Happened Next
The barber’s investigation led him to a nearby Chick-fil-A. Information on one of the bags pointed to the restaurant, so he asked the establishment about it. A manager told him the money did not belong to the restaurant.
That was the end of the trail. With no other leads, the barber called 911 and turned everything over to police. Officers counted the cash and found $128,514, matching the amount listed on a bank receipt inside the bag.
A Rare Find
Police said finding this much money abandoned without any criminal activity attached is particularly unusual. Lewisville Police Chief Brook Rollins called the case remarkable.
“To find that kind of money, or that amount of money, is certainly rare,” Rollins said. “And then to not find it connected to any criminal activity is certainly unusual.”
Miller agreed, noting she had never seen a case like this before. “I’ve never had a case like this before, ever,” she said.
The Bank’s Explanation
Police eventually determined the money belonged to Bank of America and had been left behind by workers servicing the ATM. The bank’s cash vendor, Brink’s, had been handling the money.
Brink’s declined to comment on the incident when contacted by local media, citing its policy of not commenting on law enforcement matters involving employee safety.
Why the Barber Turned It In
The barber’s decision to turn over the money drew praise from Rollins. The chief used the case to highlight the willingness of people in the community to do the right thing.
“There’s a lot of good people out there that really do want to do good,” Rollins said. “There are more people than just this one person.”
Rollins noted that the barber’s actions reflected the character of many in his community. He said the case showed that ordinary citizens often choose to act with integrity even when no one is watching.
The case shows how a simple mistake can become a public story. A bag left on top of an ATM is a small error. A bag of $128,514 is a story that makes national headlines.
The police response was prompt and professional. They counted the money, matched it to the receipt, and identified the bank. There was no attempt to trace the money back to a criminal source.
The story is a reminder that doing the right thing often requires patience and effort.
- The barber found $128,514 in cash on top of an ATM
- He called 911 and turned the money over to police
- Police determined the money belonged to Bank of America
- Brink’s declined to comment on the incident
- Chief Brook Rollins praised the barber’s decision
The case is a refreshing break from the usual stories of people who find money and keep it. It is a story about a man who found a fortune and did the right thing with it.
Source material: “Man finds $128K sitting unattended on top of Bank of America ATM,” Dexerto.
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