While some might cringe at the idea of getting knee-deep in someone else's trash, one Tennessee man recently proved there's plenty of treasure to be had where few dare to tread. Joe Ellis of Murfreesboro, Tenn. recently found $3,800 in cash in the dumpster outside a Speedy Mart. Even more surprising though is what happened next: he turned the money in.
Ellis is a regular at the Speedy Mart, Maulik Patel, manager of the convenience store, told ABC News. He can usually be found almost every day searching the gas station's dumpster for cans and bottles to make some spare change. But Ellis discovered much more than just aluminum and glass last week; he came across almost $4,000 in $100 bills in a small plastic bag with three deposit slips and no name attached.
"I didn't think it was real," Ellis told WKRN.
"I turned it in to the people, the two guys that work there, and I told them about what happened and I gave them the money and he was counting it out, one of the guys in the store. He said it was, I don't know, almost ... $4,000."
After manager Patel counted the bills, he said he called police at once so authorities could locate the money's true owner.
"When he dropped it [off] to me, I couldn't believe it. He said he found it in the Dumpster last night and dropped it off here and said if there is anyone looking money, you can give it to them," Patel told ABC News.
Ellis admitted that he considered holding onto the wad of cash, but he eventually realized he wanted to "do the right thing."
Authorities have since found the owner of the cash. The man said he was cleaning out his car and had thrown the money out with trash by accident. For his good deed, the money's owner gave Ellis $400 as a reward.
"A lot of customers come into the store and think it's unbelievable. When I told them what happened, they say that it's unbelievable, because in this day not many people would turn in all that money," said Patel.
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