Drivers Snatch Cash Flying Out of Armored Truck Near D.C.

At around 8 am Friday it was raining cash on a Maryland section of Interstate 270, about 40 miles north of Washington, D.C., after a malfunctioning lock on an armored vehicle caused a bag of money to scatter onto the highway. Early reports claimed the broken lock resulted from a collision with a dump truck.

Unsurprisingly, so many drivers stopped to grab the cash that traffic on the northbound lane came to a virtual standstill, and by the time troopers got there, most of the bills were gone—leaving only a little more than $200 for police to collect.

While authorities are still figuring out how much money was taken, at least $500 flew out, according to the Maryland State Police. Other reports say thousands are still missing and one good samaritan has already returned more than $1,000.

Anyone with the good fortune to have picked up the flying cash might want to think twice before spending it: State police told the Washington Post that those caught on traffic camera grabbing the money can be charged with theft.