If my husband saw $20 sticking out of an ATM and took it, is that legally considered theft?

Question

It happened today in one of those in-store ATMs. He was going to use it, but noticed $20 sticking out of it and he just took the $20 and left. Now he feels like the police are gonna get him! LOL!

Answer 1

He needs to take it to the police.  If nobody claims it in a certain period, it's his to keep.

Answer 2

Sorry to tell you, but that's stealing.  

Answer 3

Taking something that is not yours is Theft, stealing, cheating.  I bet his mother raised him better than that.

Answer 4

Technically it was theft.  

Answer 5

Theft occurs when you take something that belongs to another person, and you know it belongs to another person and is in their possession (it doesn't have to be physically, but i.e. furniture in someone's house. If you break in and take it, it's theft. If you find a chair abandoned somewhere, it's not theft if you take it). In your husband's case, it sounds like someone forgot about the $20 and thus, it's considered abandoned.

Answer 6

I would be paranoid too.  Those machines have camera's on them.  The right thing to do would have been to turn it into the store clerk, because that person who withdrew the $$ is going to go back and look for it.  If that was me, I would be bummed.

Answer 7

Why doesn't he return it then?

Answer 8

Keeping property of another, with intent to permanently deprive the rightful owner of its use, is civil conversion and criminal theft. However, if he turns it over to the bank or the police, with a report of where and when he found it, his possession of the money will not be used against him, and there may be a "reward" beyond a good feeling about himself.

Answer 9

h**l no thats like finding it on the ground or something

some idiot left it in there its free reign

Answer 10

Nope it's not theft.  Finders keepers and all that you know.  I knew a guy that found a paper bag in Atlanta one time and it had over $500 in it.  He took it to the police and no one claimed it in 30 days so they gave it to him.  If there is no name or property attached to the money, it's free money.

Answer 11

yes it is theft because it was not his money