Cash spilled by armored truck causes chaos along highway
Indianapolis IN May 4 2018
The blacktop turned green on an Indiana interstate Wednesday morning when the backdoor of a Brinks truck swung open, spilling hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash onto the roadway.
Opportunistic motorists hopped out of their cars and nearby residents vaulted over fences as they jostled to scoop up handfuls of bills along Interstate 70 near Indianapolis around 9 a.m., according to local Fox affiliate WXIN.
“Bags of money were falling out of the back onto the interstate,” Indiana State Police Cpl. Brock McCooe told the station. “Sort of something out of a movie scene, where you have bills, loose bills flying all over the interstate, vehicles stopping, people getting out of their cars.”
Video from the scene showed hundreds of greenbacks strewn along the side of the highway, which had to be shut down until the all the bills were picked up.
Troopers at the scene initially said that as much as $600,000 may have been scattered across the interstate, but later said that they couldn’t be sure of the exact amount.
It remains unclear what caused the backdoor to open, which the driver only became aware of when a passing motorist flagged him down, according to WXIN.
Troopers made clear that anyone who thought they found a payday along the roadway was committing a crime.
“Anyone who picked up money can be charged with theft,” wrote ISP Sgt. John Perrine on Twitter. “If you have money from the incident to return, contact the Indiana State Police.”
Police said they’re scanning video footage for license plates of sticky-fingered motorists spotted helping themselves to the cash — including a school bus driver.
“If you’re willing to, in good conscience, turn it back in, there’s amnesty,” McCooe told WXIN. “There’s no real questions asked if you’re willing to give it back.”
