Police Investigate Theft of Cash in Small Maine Town

Authorities in a quiet Maine town are currently on the lookout for an elderly man who is believed to have taken $7,400 that fell off the roof of a stranger’s vehicle.

This unusual case, handled by the Kennebunk Police Department, kicked off on October 15 when a driver, apparently in a bit of a rush, drove away without realizing he had left a sizable cash bundle on the roof of his car.

The driver had just sold his car for $7,400 but got distracted by his excitement and inadvertently left his money on the vehicle. It wasn’t until he returned home empty-handed that he realized what had happened.

Witnesses reported that the cash dropped on the side of the road as he made his way home. Later that night, two individuals were seen on a dashboard camera picking up items from Fletcher Street, close to Kennebunk High School.

According to police descriptions, an elderly suspect, dressed in a simple blue shirt and brown pants, was observed gathering the fallen cash and then speeding away in a dark gray Honda CR-V.

The second man captured in the footage was identified as the father of the rightful owner, who had driven to the area in hopes of recovering the lost money. However, it appears the initial thief had already struck before he arrived.

Local police indicated that the elderly man could be facing criminal charges due to state laws regarding lost property, which is quite stringent in Maine.

Maine law mandates that found items valued at over $3 must be reported to local authorities within a week. For items worth more than $10, additional steps, including notifying the local newspaper, are required.

There are serious implications for the alleged thief, as state law classifies taking or controlling someone else’s lost property as theft. Given the value of the cash in question, the suspect may be looking at a Class C felony, which carries potential fines up to $5,000 and even five years in prison.