Watch CBS News

Convenience Store Clerk Loses Large Amount Of Money On I-97

GLEN BURNIE, Md. (WJZ)-- A distracted convenience store clerk loses a large stash of cash on one of the state's busiest highways. Now, police are asking for that money back.

Gigi Barnett has more on what happened.

Maryland State Police said the clerk made a very common mistake. Unfortunately, that could cost him a lot of money.

The 7-Eleven employee believes he lost a bag of cash on I-97 right near the exit to Route 100.

"My family and myself are devastated, and all the money I lost, large amount of money."

The worker, who doesn't want to be identified, says he was making an early morning bank deposit on Thursday for the Glen Burnie convenience store.

Just before he left, the employee says he put a red money bag filled with a hefty stash of cash on the roof of his SUV. He became distracted somehow and drove away. That was the last time he saw the money.

Maryland State Police say cash on the highway has happened before, turning into a payday for drivers.

"We had a similar incident occur in Montgomery County in March of this year where a bank bag fell out of an armored vehicle along I-270 and cash floated all over the roadway and it was collected before police arrived," Greg Shipley, an MSP spokesperson, said.

The clerk went out and frantically searched for the cash. Minutes into it, he spotted a group of people looking for something in the woods right near the exit. One woman told him that she found something.

"She said, 'I found one check' which was a $140 check with the deposit. She said, 'Buddy, good luck! I'm going to return this to you', and then she left."

Police won't say exactly how much money was in the red bag. That is all part of the investigation. As for the employee, he is 100 percent responsible for the money and he says he is relying on the generosity of witnesses to return this money.

"There are still honest people out there and I hope they will do the right thing and come back and return the money."

State troopers say the money flew out of the clerk's car at about 6 a.m. Thursday just before the heavy rush hour on I-97. That's why investigators say they believe someone saw something in the nearby woods and they may have picked it up.

State police say if you have any information on the convenience store cash, call detectives at 410-761-5130.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.