A Connecticut man could go to prison for grand theft after he found a bag containing $5,000 in a parking lot and kept it for himself, not knowing it was city tax receipts
- Robert Withington, 57, said he thought he had won the lottery when he found a bag containing $5,000 cash outside a bank in May
- Now the dog trainer faces grand theft charges and prison time after police say the money was tax receipts from a Connecticut town
- According to Trumbull officials, a tax agent accidentally dropped the bag before Withington found it earlier this year
A Connecticut man faced prison time for grand theft after he found and kept a bag containing $5,000 in a parking lot without knowing it was tax receipts.
Robert Withington, 57, of Trumbull, thought he had won the lottery when he spotted the cash in a parking lot outside a bank in May of this year.
In fact, the bag was dropped while being transported to the bank by the city tax office.
According to Trumbull Police Lt. Brian Weir, the bag was clearly marked with the bank’s insignia as well as “numerous documents” indicating the cash belonged to the city’s tax department.
However, Withington has maintained that he did not steal the money and did not notice anything in the bag that indicated who the money belonged to.
The tax office is located in Trumbull City Hall (pictured here) and is across the street from the bank
He told Hearst Connecticut Media: “It’s not like this was planned. “Everything was in the moment and it was like I won the lottery. That was it.
“I walked into the parking lot, saw something on the ground and there was no one around, so I picked it up. “It’s not like I stole anything.
“If I had known I was wrong in the first place, I would have given it back straight away.” “I didn’t think I did anything wrong,” he added.
Police said an employee at the Trumbull tax collector’s office was unable to locate the bag after arriving at the bank during regular business hours to make a deposit, according to a police news release.
Over the next few months, investigators obtained search warrants, reviewed several surveillance videos from local businesses and conducted numerous interviews before learning that the bag had been “accidentally thrown on the ground in front of the bank” and Withington had picked it up.
Trumbull police Lt. Brian Weir, pictured here, said the bag was clearly marked with the bank’s insignia as well as “numerous documents” inside identifying the cash
When police finally interviewed Withington, they said he admitted to being at the bank that day and taking the bag.
He told them that he believed that “he was under no obligation to return the bag to its rightful owner.”
In a phone call with , Withington, who runs a dog training business, continued to maintain his innocence and said he was not guilty.
He was charged Friday with third-degree larceny, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines.
Withington was released on a promise to appear in court on September 5.