Nothing better to do, eh?
A Georgia police department is getting brutally roasted online after launching an all-out manhunt for a criminal mastermind who…picked up $30 that he found on the ground.
It all started when the Albany Police Department posted a picture from a security camera at Walmart seeking help identifying a “suspect” who picked up the cash that somebody had dropped:
“The Albany Police Department would like the public’s assistance with identifying the suspect in the photo.
The incident occurred at 2586 N. Slappey Blvd. (Walmart).
An individual dropped $30.00 on the ground while shopping. This individual picked up the money and did not turn it in to the employees.”
Crime of the century in ol’ Albany, Georgia. Sounds like an episode of The Andy Griffith Show and Barney Fife is on the case.
It’s especially ironic that at a time when there’s such a heated debate surrounding Flock surveillance cameras tracking our every move, with the police arguing that it’s necessary to help capture bad guys, yet this is what they’re spending their time and energy on.
And to be fair, Georgia law does technically make it a crime to keep property that you find without trying to find the rightful owner. Under Georgia code § 16-8-6:
“A person commits the offense of theft of lost or mislaid property when he comes into control of property that he knows or learns to have been lost or mislaid and appropriates the property to his own use without first taking reasonable measures to restore the property to the owner.”
I guess “finders keepers” isn’t a thing in the great state of Georgia.
But regardless of the law, people were still on this guy’s side and immediately began roasting the police for putting him on blast for the grievous offense of picking up $30:
“Not to be critical of the APD and how they use their resources but here I am.”
“So is my toddler going to get arrested for picking up change he finds too?”
“I’m not gonna snitch on an old man for $30….”
“You’re posting this over $30…”
“Use your Flock to find him”
“Y’all got too much time on your hands if this is the stuff you’re pursuing”
“Are y’all….serious? April fools was months ago.”
“Might wanna bring the FBI in on this one. Seems a bit outta your department’s wheelhouse.”
“Albany PD apparently has too much free time on their hands”
“Surprised you guys aren’t just using flock cameras to ruin his life over the $30.”
Well rest easy, because the Albany Police Department was able to locate this hardened criminal and bring him to justice. And by that I mean he returned the $30 and “the victim” decided not to press charges. Because imagine having to take a day off work to go to court over $30 that you dropped and was picked up by an old man.
I do think that maybe I should move to Albany, Georgia though, because apparently there’s not any real crime there so it must be pretty safe.
