Representational image courtesy: Reuters
Los Angeles:
An abandoned backpack with USD 100,000 in cash has been found at a Burger King restaurant owned by an Indian-origin man in California on his birthday.
The blue backpack had been left on a chair during the hectic lunch hour at the Burger King at 1305 North Bascom Avenue, San Jose on Wednesday, said owner Altaf Chaus.
His employees also did not notice the bag's owner. Hoping someone would return to claim it, Chaus waited for a long time. But no one came.
Since it was his birthday, Chaus wanted to go home early and opened the bag, hoping to find a name or phone number in it.
"I opened the zipper and saw tonnes of bills, wrapped with rubber bands and stacked," said Chaus, 53. "I called the police right away."
"There were 10 bundles -- and USD 10,000 in each bundle," he said. "I was shocked," San Jose Mercury News reported.
"I've never seen that much in my life," he said. Chaus, who came to America from India 26 years ago, said he was never tempted to keep the money.
"I am Muslim, and we believe that you have to sweat to get what you earn," he said.
"We say: 'If you don't sweat, it's not your money,'" he said.
San Jose police officers arrived and opened the bag.
Along with the money, they found candy, a bag of marijuana, a piece of paper with phone numbers and a bank withdrawal slip for USD 300, showing only USD 7.95 left in the account, Chaus said.
Police are now seeking the bag's owner. "No one has come back to get it," Chaus said. "It belongs to someone, It does not belong to me."
The blue backpack had been left on a chair during the hectic lunch hour at the Burger King at 1305 North Bascom Avenue, San Jose on Wednesday, said owner Altaf Chaus.
His employees also did not notice the bag's owner. Hoping someone would return to claim it, Chaus waited for a long time. But no one came.
Since it was his birthday, Chaus wanted to go home early and opened the bag, hoping to find a name or phone number in it.
"I opened the zipper and saw tonnes of bills, wrapped with rubber bands and stacked," said Chaus, 53. "I called the police right away."
"There were 10 bundles -- and USD 10,000 in each bundle," he said. "I was shocked," San Jose Mercury News reported.
"I've never seen that much in my life," he said. Chaus, who came to America from India 26 years ago, said he was never tempted to keep the money.
"I am Muslim, and we believe that you have to sweat to get what you earn," he said.
"We say: 'If you don't sweat, it's not your money,'" he said.
San Jose police officers arrived and opened the bag.
Along with the money, they found candy, a bag of marijuana, a piece of paper with phone numbers and a bank withdrawal slip for USD 300, showing only USD 7.95 left in the account, Chaus said.
Police are now seeking the bag's owner. "No one has come back to get it," Chaus said. "It belongs to someone, It does not belong to me."
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
