By John Clarke
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Maryland police said on Saturday they were appealing to motorists to return any money they may have picked up after a bag of cash fell out of an armored car and burst open in the fast lane of a highway.
The incident unfolded on Friday during the morning rush hour near Urbana, about 36 miles northwest of Washington, D.C., when the rear door of a GardaWorld truck malfunctioned and popped open, throwing a bag of money on to the highway.
GardaWorld drivers told Maryland state police that numerous drivers immediately stopped on the highway and scrambled to pick up the cash. Motorists left the scene when the fire department arrived.
The highway was closed for about 20 minutes while police, assisted by K9 dogs, recovered about $200, all that was left. The total amount lost was not disclosed.
"Motorists who picked up the cash are reminded it is not their money," police said in a statement.
Police are asking people who took the money to turn it into any nearby police station.
If the investigation uncovers the identities of those who took the money on the highway, the people involved could face theft charges, police said.
GardaWorld transports more than $5 billion in cash every day, according to the company's website.
