No free money in New Jersey: Police want spilled banknotes back

[December 14, 2018]    (Reuters) - Police in New Jersey on Thursday urged people who grabbed banknotes that spilled out of the back of an armored truck during rush-hour traffic to return the cash, no questions asked.

East Rutherford police began receiving calls at around 8:30 a.m. EST (1330 GMT) on Thursday that cash was blowing out of the bullet-resistant truck and multiple vehicles had crashed after several motorists abandoned their cars to chase the money.

Videos posted on social media showed a Brinks armored truck with its hazard lights flashing on Route 3, about 10 miles (16 km) outside New York City, as people ran after bills blowing between cars and trucks on the busy roadway.

A person in uniform chasing the money appeared to be the truck's driver.

Brinks did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"This is super dangerous, everybody is just out there picking up money," one woman said in a video posted on Twitter. (https://bit.ly/2LeRDh9)

As of Thursday evening, East Rutherford police said some cash had been handed over but did not specify the amount.

"We have had several individuals contact ERPD & return money," police said in a tweet. "We would like to advise people if they have any money connected to this incident to contact ERPD at 201-438-0165 to make arrangements for its return with no charges filed."

(Reporting by Andrew Hay in New Mexico, editing by G Crosse)

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