Theft by finding? It's in the bag

6 Apr 2010, 7:13 pm   -   Source: AAP
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A Melbourne couple got more than they bargained for after finding tens of thousands of dollars in a suitcase bought at a charity store (AAP)

A Melbourne couple got more than they bargained for after finding tens of thousands of dollars in a suitcase bought at a charity store (AAP)

A Melbourne couple who bought a suitcase for a few dollars in a charity shop thought they'd hit the jackpot when they discovered up to $100,000 in the lining.
 

A Melbourne couple who bought a suitcase for a few dollars in a charity shop thought they'd hit the jackpot when they discovered up to $100,000 in the lining.

Rather than take it back to the Beaconsfield Salvation Army store so the cash could be returned to its rightful owner, the couple - a man aged 44 and a woman, 34 - allegedly kept the money and started putting it into different bank accounts.

The couple from Berwick, in Melbourne's southeast, were arrested on March 18 and have been charged with theft by finding, police said.

Tens of thousands recovered

The drama began in early March when the wife of the suitcase's owner did a clean-up at their home and took the unloved case, along with bric a brac, to the local Salvo store.

Unbeknown to her, her husband had stuffed the suitcase's lining with money - tens of thousands of dollars.

The Salvation Army had hoped the money would be handed in after the second-hand suitcase was bought on March 6, but police used details from an Eftpos receipt to track the buyer.

A police spokeswoman described the money as a significant sum.

She said most it had been recovered to the great relief of the owner - and his wife.

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why was the money in the suitcase lining?

Kevin - from Melbourne, 2 years ago

I can't help wondering why anyone would hide $100k in cash in the lining of an old suitcase. I think of a few reasons and none of them are legal!

Another unlawfull LAW

Robert Aquilina - from melbourne, 2 years ago

These people have done nothing wrong, they legally purchased an item from an opp shop, when you buy something you buy it however it comes or whatever it comes with, it is the law that is incorrect here, their GOOD LEGAL fortune has been overturned by a ILLEGAL CRAP LAW, I hope the so-called owner has a miserable life.

Finders Keepers

Lisa - from Hobart, 2 years ago

I agree that the people should have been entitled to keep the money. They bought the suitcase. The people who donated the suitcase were pathetic keeping it hidden in the case and most likely were being dishonest by hoarding their money in an unloved suitcase. What a stupid system we have leading to the police treating poor people like criminals, which seems to be common.

staggered?

Dave - from UK, 2 years ago

"All this law does is keep the poor under thumb." All laws are designed to do that.

legal precedent

Francesca - from Cambridge, 3 years ago

I don't know the exact statute, but I believe it reads: FINDERS KEEPERS. Amended to read LOSERS WEEPERS.

suitcase

margaret - from sydney, 3 years ago

The couple who purchased the suitcase should not have been charged - they paid for it and it was theirs and it was their good luck the money was inside. Bet they wished they had paid cash and as such could not be tracked. I would. A lesson for us all, pay cash Maybe they should not have put the money into the bank and have said either their was no money or that the suitcase was broken and they had thrown it away if the shop staff had found the cash, they could have easily pocketed it

Finding..

Helen - from Brisbane, 3 years ago

And I know that op shop staff find items of value unexpectedly, and yes, they do keep them.
I overheard a staff member in one shop telling another how she had found an old collection of records with money hidden inside them, and how the staff had kept it.
It happens all the time. But no-one finds out.

If only they were smarter...

joel - from brisbane, 3 years ago

This couple were very sloppy, all they had to do was keep the money out of the bank and somewhere safe and deny all knowledge of ever finding the money... morons

what australia needs!

john butt - from gosnells -w,a, 3 years ago

Pollys with brains who will admit that we don't need a bigger population untill we fix what we've got now?
We need public transport that can cope, hospitals, doctors, nurses, schools, potable water, reliable power supplies, more police, better law and order, less red tape, less taxes.
Lets make it a better, safer country to live in?

What?

Matt - from Wollongong, 3 years ago

I do believe that the money is entitled to the people that bought the suitcase. They did not steal the money, but bought it as a part of the case.

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