CONCORD, Calif. – Recently an off-duty Sergeant with the California Highway Patrol, assigned to the Contra Costa CHP office, found over $120,000.00 in cash in the middle of Concord Boulevard. The money was located inside two bank deposit bags that were laying in the middle of the city street.
The off-duty sergeant, a veteran of over 20 years with the patrol, was traveling on Concord Boulevard, in a personal vehicle and had to swerve around the bags to avoid running over them. The sergeant made a U-turn and retrieved the bags which had signs tire markings on them indicating they had been previously run over by other vehicles.
Without hesitation the off-duty CHP supervisor alerted local law enforcement authorities, reported what was discovered and responded out to the city of Concord Police Department giving possession of the money to them to locate its rightful owner.
Through Concord Police Department’s investigative efforts, a local resident was identified and his family’s life savings were returned.
The CHP off-duty supervisor who does not want to be named or receive any accolades simply said, “It was the right thing to do. I am paid to uphold the law and it’s my job to set the example whether I’m working or not. I am happy to hear the rightful owner was identified and that the money has been returned”.
“It is great to highlight examples of the great work the men and women of the Golden Gate Division CHP do on a daily basis, unfortunately, on too many occasions our personnel do not pause to be recognized as they feel they were simply doing their job”, Golden Gate Division Chief Avery Browne said.
The CHP plans to properly present the off-duty supervisor with the appropriate commendation at a private ceremony.
Questions regarding this incident should be referred to Contra Costa CHP office PIO at 925-646-4980 or to Concord Police Department PIO at 925-671-3200.
9 comments
$120,00 in bank bags lying on the street in Concord? Did anyone check with the bank before they turned over this money? Why would any citizen have $120,000 in cash?
$120,00 in bank bags on the streets of Concord and they find the “owner?” Did anyone check the banks for missing money? Why would a citizen have $120,000 in cash laying in the street?!!
It does not matter why the citizen had $120,000 in cash. As long as it was legally obtained, it is no one else’s business. Well done, Sergeant!
i think you’d be surprised at how many people carry that much cash for legitimate and legal purposes…..
Very rare breed indeed…
I remember watching a video on cash seizures and illegal forfeiture in California. CHP can seize cash and hold it, while you are forced to prove you obtained it legally in court.
That’s a crock.
Awesome job, Sergeant! Kudos to you for giving our profession positive recognition!
/b/oxxy. You have it wrong. Cash can be seized if that cash is believed to be drug proceeds. There has to be more then just somebody having cash in there pocket. If it is believed to be drug money then the district attorneys office will start asset seizure proceedings. That is when the person has to prove that the money is not from drug sales.
Nope, there do not have to believe that it is drug proceeds, they just have to have a preponderance of evidence that the cash was or possibly could be used in a crime. A person has $20,000 confiscated because the officer’s report stated that (I’m paraphrasing) normal citizens don’t carry that much cash. Looking into civil forfeiture a bit more and you will see extreme amounts of unjust action being taken by the police and the extreme difficulty people have of getting their assets returned.
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