The Albany Police Department posted a photo on Facebook and asked the public for help identifying the person shown. The department said the incident took place at the Walmart store at 2586 N. Slappey Blvd. in Albany, Georgia.
Police stated in the post that an individual dropped $30 on the ground while shopping. The department said this individual picked up the money and did not turn it in to the employees.
The Albany Police Department asked anyone with information that may assist with identifying this individual to contact the department at 229-431-2100.
Georgia law requires reasonable efforts to return lost money before a finder can keep it
According to the legal information portal HG.org, each state has specific laws that require the return of money or property if the owner can be identified. The portal noted that if a person finds a wallet with cash and an ID, that person cannot legally keep the money because the owner is recognizable.
HG.org stated that if someone finds only money lying on the street, the first step is to ask people nearby if anyone has lost money. If the owner cannot be easily identified, most states require the finder to contact local law enforcement and turn over the money so the owner has a chance to claim it.
According to Diario AS, if the rightful owner does not appear after a certain period of time, some states allow the person who found the money to keep it. Failure to hand over the money could be considered theft if the law requires it to be turned over to the police or if reasonable efforts to identify the owner are not made, according to the same source.
HG.org noted that the amount of money found can make a difference. The portal said that if it is $20, a person will most likely be able to pick it up without facing arrest or criminal charges. The situation is different if the amount is thousands of dollars, the portal stated. Such disputes over found property can lead to legal questions, as in a case where a man claimed club bouncers took his real ID and wouldn’t return it.
Penalties for not turning over found money or a wallet vary from state to state, according to HG.org. In most states, penalties for taking lost items are based on their value, with higher amounts bringing harsher penalties. For example, the portal cited that in California, keeping more than $950 without using reasonable measures to find the owner could lead to a felony theft charge, while $950 or less is a misdemeanor.
Facebook users commented on the police request. One person wrote, “Finders keepers.” Another said, “He found that money its his!Walmart just mad that they didn’t get to take cash home,Definitely shouldn’t be a crime,whats wrong with you ppl?”
A commenter asked, “Do you have him on camera picking it up ? Can you prove he picked up that amount ? And can you prove he didn’t drop it ?” One user wrote, “Not to be critical of the APD and how they use their resources but here I am.”
On Reddit, users posted comments such as “I’m sure the employees would have done a thorough investigation to find the rightful owner.” Another wrote, “Maybe they should go after me too, because I found a dime in the self checkout and picked it up and kept it.”
Additional comments included “Found $20 in my apartment elevator once. I bought alcohol. Still on the run.” and “A symptom of an over policed society.” One person stated, “For mental health reasons I choose to believe this is a joke.” Such public scrutiny over unusual findings is not new, like when a Texas man claimed police laughed at him after he found a condom cooked inside his Popeyes chicken.
The Albany Police Department post did not give further details about whether charges would be filed if the person is identified.
Published: Aug 22, 2026 10:00 am