The Chicago-born Brinks company has been in the business of safely transporting valuables, assets, and cash for 166 years, be it via wagon or armored truck. Their website proudly boasts: “One of the oldest commercial brands in the world, Brink’s has been synonymous with security and trust since being founded in 1859 and is today known around the world.” So guess who just filed a complaint with local police for $300,000 in cash being stolen after falling off their own truck, and on home turf, no less? You guessed it! Brinks alleges they have no idea how the truck’s back door popped open, but say that once the driver realized the snafu and started retracing the route, there were “between 50 and 100 people” helping themselves to the bounty. I imagine the spirits of the 1860s-era Brinks wagon drivers are bowing their heads in spectral shame.
Bags of cash fell out of a Brinks Home Security Company truck last week in a Chicago suburb, resulting in approximately $300,000 being stolen, a complaint filed to police said.
The back door of the truck opened by “unknown means” in Oak Park, leading to three bags of U.S. currency falling out, according to Brinks’ complaint.
The incident happened while the driver was moving southbound on Austin Boulevard on Tuesday, the complaint read.
Brinks noted that upon returning to the area, between 50 and 100 people were seen taking money and fleeing.
The total estimated amount lost was approximately $300,000, according to the security company.
A representative from the Village of Oak Park told NBC Chicago no one was in custody as of Friday.
If I were a Brinks client, I would be steaming mad to lose my money this way! Especially if they didn’t have an explanation more substantial than the back door opened by “unknown means.” Is that just the language they go with to file the complaint right away? The wording is so cagey! I started wondering if this was an Ocean’s 11-esque heist situation, because it seemed so unlikely that a back door would just pop open accidentally. But People Mag has helpfully compiled some recent history that proves the back door hiccup happens more often than I thought:
Back in November 2021, the door of an armored truck in California apparently burst open on the Interstate 5 freeway near San Diego, prompting drivers to stop their cars to pick up the cash.
“One of the doors popped open and bags of cash fell out,” a California Highway Patrol official told the San Diego Tribune at the time. “One of the bags broke apart, and there was cash all over the lanes.”
The truck was apparently on the way to a Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. office, with the loose cash appearing to be primarily singles and $20 bills.
A CHP spokesperson encouraged those who grabbed any of the cash to turn it in at the CHP office in Vista, California.
Before that, in May 2018, Indiana State Police revealed that a Brinks armored truck’s door opened, and packages of money were released near the Sam Jones Expressway. Authorities said a “substantial amount” of money fell out of the truck.
Who’s driving these faulty trucks, Scooby Doo and Shaggy?! And people stopped their cars to pick up cash on the freeway?! In California, the fifth largest economy in the world?!? That’s… not gonna get me to rush behind the wheel anytime soon. Last week when we covered Chase Bank suing customers who stole money via the “infinite money glitch,” I outed myself as a goodie-goodie when I relayed a time that I turned in lost cash I’d found on the ground. So I’m fairly sure I wouldn’t be among the suburban Chicagoans who stopped to grab a handful of loot; and I’m dead certain I would never stop my car on the frickin’ freeway to do such a thing! But to give some credit (finance pun!) to these folks, I’d think there’s a greater chance of success in picking up “free” cash from a satchel lying on the road, as opposed to withdrawing “free” funds… from your own bank account. In terms of getting away with it. Not that I’m condoning theft!
photos credit: Edgar Colomba, Andrea Piacquadio and Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels and Getty
Oak Park is a wealthy suburb. Were moms in Lululemon showing off their toned bodies as they stretched for the cash? Did anyone’s venti skinny latte get knocked over?
I grew up next to oak park.
It’s diverse with race and income EXCEPT for homeowners. To buy a home one has to be wealthy! But the apartment buildings where us peasants live are affordable.. its actually a very nice suburb, it borders the city.
Oh it’s an absolutely beautiful town. I didn’t mean to dis it, but having only been there as a tourist, it oozes wealth and privilege. Thank you for a different perspective.
This sounds like something out of a Looney Tunes cartoon, but armored trucks aren’t as “armored” as they want us to think. When I lived in the Tampa area a few years ago, the Tampa Bay Times did a big expose on the Garda armored truck company. Some of their trucks have giant holes in the floorboards!
Yep. I would scoop that money but not if there were a bunch of other people trying to get it. I prefer a subdued scoop.
Haha! Same!
I have practiced in my mind many times for a moment like this since i’m about 9yo. Im plunging for it and the more people, the merrier. All for one, one for all.
I’d be paranoid that the bills were marked and traceable somehow!
I mean, of course my high moral standards would never condone theft. 😼
I was driving on I-27 in Amarillo just this past week, and a few bills flew out of the driver’s window of a pickup truck ahead of me. I didn’t realize what it was until one stuck on my windshield for a minute. The truck drove on, the driver apparently oblivious, but cars behind me were slamming on their brakes and pulling over.