ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. — Robert Adams craved an ice-cold drink after finishing his shift on a sweltering workday, but not having enough money to buy the burrito he also wanted left him with two obvious choices: Stop at the ATM, or find a bag containing more than $17,000 in cash.
That changed
Monday when he stood at a Chase ATM in Rolling Meadows and found a clear plastic bag containing receipts, checks and $17,021 in cash — mostly $20 and $100 bills.
“I see this plastic bag. It’s clear plastic and it’s half full of money,” Adams said. “I figure this is a joke. … People are going to look at me and start laughing.”
Adams said he never had the urge to keep the money.
“It’s not my money. I shouldn’t take it. I don’t care if you put another zero on there, I wasn’t raised to take money that isn’t mine,” said Adams, 54, who credits his deceased parents for teaching him right from wrong. “If I saw you drop it, I’d say, ‘Excuse me, sir. I think you dropped something.'”
The word “Chase” was printed on the bag, so Adams carried it to the nearby branch. But employees told him the machine is filled from inside and the money didn’t belong to the bank.
Adams then called police, who along with bank officials later determined the money was meant for an ATM in Midlothian and had been under the care of Loomis, an armored truck company. Rolling Meadows police took the money to the station, where it was picked up by a Loomis official.
Loomis officials said they were investigating.
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