Authorities in Oak Park, Illinois, are investigating how $300,000 in cash ended up scattered across a public street after three money bags tumbled from an armored Brinks truck late last week.
Brinks truck rains money in Oak Park
The incident, which drew a crowd of people who quickly grabbed the loose cash, unfolded just after 5 p.m. Tuesday on the 300 block of South Austin Boulevard, according to Oak Park police.
The situation began when a Brinks Home Security employee reported that the back door of their vehicle unexpectedly swung open during transit.
As the door opened, several bags of cash dropped onto the street, creating a chaotic scene that quickly drew public attention.
Witnesses described a mob of people rushing across the street and stuffing handfuls of bills into their pockets.
The Brinks driver later told police that a crowd, which was estimated between 50 and 100 individuals, made a mad dash to grab the cash before fleeing in different directions.
The area where the bags fell reportedly turned into a chaotic mix of airborne money and scrambling bystanders.
As of Monday, the Oak Park Police Department continued to probe the incident.
Authorities are urging anyone who has information, or who picked up cash to come forward.
Law enforcement officials have clarified that despite the situation’s unusual nature, anyone found in possession of the money without returning it could face criminal charges.
According to investigators, this is not a case of “finders keepers.”
So far, Oak Park police have not said whether any of the cash has been recovered, and no arrests have been made in connection to the mass pickup.
They also have not confirmed how the truck’s rear door came unlatched during transit.
Brinks, for its part, has offered no explanation about how the bags came loose or whether the driver involved will face disciplinary consequences.
The company released a statement regarding the matter: “In general, and in the interest of the safety of our employees and others who may be affected on matters concerning law enforcement, we do not comment and recommend that you approach the relevant law enforcement agencies for further background on the incident.”
This is not the first time an armored truck has lost a large sum of money while in transit.
Brinks truck loses over half-a-million in similar incident
Back in May 2018, a similar occurrence took place in Indianapolis when a Brinks truck’s door opened unexpectedly, releasing $600,000 in cash across I-70.
Then in November 2021, drivers along California’s Interstate 5 near San Diego encountered a rainstorm of bills when an armored truck operated by Sectran Security Inc. experienced a door malfunction.
The resulting downpour of mostly $1 and $20 bills brought traffic to a halt as drivers abandoned their cars to scoop up the free-falling currency.
“It was free-floating bills all over the freeway,” California Highway Patrol Officer Jim Bettencourt said at the time.
Cellphone footage shared online showed drivers rushing around, collecting cash from the pavement.
The vehicle had been transporting funds from a bank in San Diego to the Federal Reserve.
Authorities later noted that while bills of various denominations were involved, the total amount released was under $1 million.
In that incident, no crashes occurred, and no injuries were reported. The driver was alone in the truck when the money began flying across both north and southbound lanes.
Suspects throw cash onto San Diego freeway during police chase
San Diego has seen similar situations in the past. In 2009, two suspects under surveillance for drug activity caused chaos when they threw $17,000 in cash onto freeways during a police chase.
Motorists stopped to gather the thrown bills, though law enforcement eventually retrieved most of the money.
Officers shut down portions of Interstate 805 and later recovered over $17,200, with some individuals returning cash voluntarily.
Authorities at the time warned that since the money was evidence in an active investigation, anyone who failed to return it could be prosecuted.
