Anonymous
UPDATE: Thanks to the public’s help, the suspect and been identified and contacted by SBPD detectives; the investigation remains ongoing.
Source: Santa Barbara Police Department
On Monday, October 22, 2018 a patron ate lunch at Rusty’s Pizza Parlor, located at 111 State St. The patron, who was headed to the bank to make a deposit following the meal, began to count his money at the table. The patron’s wife scolded him and told him that he should not count his money in public. He then placed the money back into his pocket. As he left the establishment — unbeknownst to him — the sizable amount fell out of his pocket and on the floor. The patron and his wife then left the restaurant.
Within moments, a male subject (picture attached) wearing a red plaid button down shirt, who had just finished paying for a pizza, walks from the front counter to a booth near the fallen cash. The subject places his cup on the table and then bends down and picks up the cash. The subject nervously looked around as he sits down and examines what he has found. Realizing what he has recovered, the subject then walks out of the restaurant, without getting his food and without his soda cup.
The victim walks back into the restaurant less than a minute after the subject to search the area for his missing money. The male subject returns to the restaurant and observes the patron searching for his missing money. The male subject does not make any effort to return the money.
The crime of misappropriation of found property (485 PC) reads as follows:
One who finds lost property under circumstances which give him knowledge of or means of inquiry as to the true owner, and who appropriates such property to his own use, or to the use of another person not entitled thereto, without first making reasonable and just efforts to find the owner and to restore the property to him, is guilty of theft.
In an effort to recover the misappropriated money, the Santa Barbara Police Department Property Crimes Unit has initiated an investigation into this case. If you have any information as to the identity of the suspect in this case, please contact Detective Lowry at (805)897-2326, or by email at klowry@sbpd.com.
As always you can make tips anonymously to the SBPD at (805) 897-2386.
They can also figure out who he is by his cell phone tracking records.
Did he pay by credit card? If so, can’t they use the time stamp on the video to match up with the credit card transaction to find out his name? I feel badly for the man who dropped the money – I know that sense of panic. That this guy stood by watching, and kept the money without saying anything, says everything a Judge would need to know about his character.
And, hey. I dropped a $100 bill on the bus one morning, on a rainy day. All flustered and realized later exactly how and when I had dropped that money on the bus. Certainly some one saw me drop it—–the bus was loaded with passengers. I don’t consider it “theft” that the finder kept the money . . . I blame myself for being a doofus and not taking better care of my dough.
I’m sure he’s already upset enough, and learned from his mistake. He doesn’t need to be identified, and punished further.
If you want to change the law work to do so. You are at risk if you simply ignore it. The idea of democracy is that it does respond to what the people want. Whining about the law and deciding to ignore the law is very stereotypically “millennial” it seems to me. Especially when they are busted and then complain about how they shouldn’t be held because “everybody does it.”
Interesting. I dont see how this is a crime, but hey we live in a bizzarro world where criminals are heralded, addicts protected and liars elected… Do people know what is SOP at most Police Departments do across this state and country when they find what they determine to be a large sum of cash on a person at any time during any situation? They take it. They steal it and they keep it. All without any conviction or ruling. And there’s nothing you can do about it… To me this is not a crime. Its a lapse of moral judgement and the fool who dropped his money, lost his money and learned an expensive lesson. Dont count your money in public and if its important, keep a tight hold of it. What ever it is.
Can someone explain something to me – I assume that they know all the events that transpired (like, the guy saw him come back, etc.) b/c it’s all on videotape? Because how do they know all this?
This will probably get downvoted to Bolivian, but I can’t stop thinking how uncanny his resemblance is to the Tony Hawk character in the Playstation 2 version of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater.
Hey, if he left his soda cup, there is DNA on it! Get on that, do a DNA test!
Either you’re honest or you’re not and, unfortunately, some people are not. I do everything I can to find the rightful owner of anything valuable that I happen to spot on the ground, including cash. I expect the same ethical behavior in others and most times find it but, sadly, some are “ME first, über alles, and screw the rest of you saps and suckers.”
That’s interesting the name is withheld?! Not so lucky for, as I recall, a group of men with their names and faces plastered all over the news for a more forgivable action.
totally agree, and to have this be some major news event is also somewhat perplexing. is there really no other matters of importance to focus on? i mean, what is next, my cat got fleas from my neighbors dogs and it was on video so we’ll post the dogs in question? this area loves the ability to post a picture of someone and shame away. kinda sad.
its not theft and any half @ssed lawyer would win in court. Total jerk move? yes. Absolutely. But this is NOT theft. The guy that had it, dropped it. he lost it. it’s not his possession any longer. the young guy that took it, did what most anyone would do. Why would he come back in? His conscious. he’ll eventually return the cash. I’ve been on both ends of this scenario, a few times. It sucks, but to call this a theft is really treading on thin ice and would potentially open up a pandoras box. next they will say, you were going to do something bad in a few days, so we’re going to arrest you now. there’s a movie about this. anyhoo…..this dude is a total jerkwad, but not a thief. If he had taken in from the man, he’ would be a theif. he’s just a shi**y person.
and to carry that amount of cash on you, and not going straight to the bank, is a foolish move on the old guys part.
lets see some video of the clown who dropped the alleged wad! how much cash was it?
Personal responsibility to have enough class to give the money back when you know someone dropped it.. I knew a guy once saw an older woman drop 4 /100.00 bills from her hand at Christmas time while walking into Longs Drugs and the rat pocketed the money…I was shocked this person would do that as I thought I knew them. Though I was not aware of it being against the law I’m glad it is and I’m glad this guys picture is all over the media locally it is good to know when someone is not honest.
Yes, Columbus discovered a new continent he, nor most in Western Europe absent the lost Viking records, did not know existed.
Did those coming across the Bering Straights from Taiwan discover a new continent? Did the Taiwan diaspora discover Columbus?
Stupid is as stupid does. Both people are at fault for this blunder. The dummy that lost the cash and the idiot that pocketed it
Or better title would be dumb and dumber
Incredible despite the article’s citation and production of the CA law on this subject that a number of individuals persist in denying that the conduct of the person who kept this money is a crime!! Maybe ignorance of the law is understandable but this is simply not accepting the law. Or did these commentators not get that far in the story?
RHS – if you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, sometimes things that are “against the law” are hotly disputed. Just because it is “the law,” doesn’t mean everyone will (or always should) accept it without question.
Some seem to think it’s not a crime to keep what belongs to others. In this case it is definitely a moral crime. I once found $900 in cash and had to do some work to find the owner who lost it on the way to the Post office to pay bills.
Are you talking about the “Johns” who were part of a sting to remove human trafficking (prostitution)? If so I would not call that a “lesser” crime.
Factotum, time for a new handle.