Man Finds $150,000 in His Backyard: Should He Have Kept It?

by SodaHead News Posted 2011/09/01 15:00:00

Related Topics: Weird News, Gardening, Money, Cash, $150k, Wayne Sabaj, Bacon, Broccoli, Bank Robbery, Police, Depression, Facebook, Bank, Carrots, Trouble, 000

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	Yes	803 votes	64%
	No	446 votes	36%

Digging up a fresh batch of basil that you grew in your own garden is a nice feeling. Carrots and potatoes? Even better.

But there's not a vegetable on earth worth $150,000.

That's exactly how much money Wayne Sabaj dug up -- in cash -- in his northern Illinois backyard.

Only, he didn't get to keep it. Or, rather, he chose not to risk it. Which is unfortunate, because the 49-year-old carpenter is currently unemployed and living with his father.

Sabaj told ABC7, "I went over, picked it up, took it to the picnic table, opened it up and said, 'Wow, it is a bunch of money.' Then came into the house, looked at my dad and said, 'Now we are really in trouble.' I could really use this money, [but] with my luck, it would be bank robbery and I'd get caught and say I'd robbed a bank."

He reportedly found the cash while digging up broccoli from his garden. It was contained in multiple duffel bags, in stacks of $20 bills, and actually came in just under $150,000.

Now Sabaj is waiting to find out if anyone can come up with a legitimate claim for the money. If no one does, the police will proceed to help him and his attorney see if they can legally claim the money.

McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren told ABC7, "He did the right thing. I would commend him for that."

Yeah, well, commendations aren't worth a duffel bag of cash.

+34

Add a comment above

cali 2011/09/01 19:01:47

Yes

+14
Of course! It's his backyard he should keep it. What idiot would lose 150K in someone else's backyard? He should keep the money. I know I would.
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More polls by SodaHead News

jack 2011/09/02 15:18:13

Yes

+3
It's on his property - it's his

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Cowboytx 2011/09/02 15:17:34

Yes

+1
Law says its his. Drug money who cares its not now.
His choice as to right and wrong of it but I ask how the heck will someone claim it?
Oh yeah its green and made of paper officer. I saved it for my lemonade stand one summer.
Casinos take lots of twenties. Stick in a hundred cash out at $99.

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michael 2011/09/02 15:16:23

No

+1
honesty like that is rare and should be respected of course.

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Smurf 2011/09/02 15:14:29

Yes

+2
Finders keepers loser weepers

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Bob DiN to Smurf 2011/09/02 19:07:27

The law don't work that way but it is his as it is part of his property.

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TruXter 2011/09/02 15:10:07

No

+1
No telling what that money was about.
better to have it known world wide that the money is no longer in his care and there is nothing he can do about it.

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M'lud 2011/09/02 15:06:35

No

+1
You could make an argument along the lines of possession being 9/10 of the law, but the potential for a find like this to cause a HUGE pile of trouble is too great to risk it. What happens when the gang-banger who buried it there gets out of prison? Or the wise guy hiding out in Miami decides that now he needs it? If no rightful owner turns up it will be his (minus the lawyer's fee.) I can't imagine any scenario where someone could have a legitimate reason to bury $150K in someone else's yard. He did the right thing.

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steve 2011/09/02 15:06:12

No

give to police to look who owner house before get money back

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Flora 2011/09/02 15:04:18

No

+1
Why is SH asking such dumb questions? If I, for once have found money and called police would I be famous, too? This man did the right thing. It could have been a burglar who hid the money. I am thankful for the man because he did the right thing a real citizen should do. I would never have been so greedy to keep the money.

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PortaPocketGal 2011/09/02 15:03:41

No

+1
interesting how older people, in general, seem to be more honest (at least per your demographics). sorry to say but that's a snapshot of a sad commentary on the future of this country...

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PeaceFa... to PortaPo... 2011/09/02 15:20:53

assuming you are from the US, it is the same for Canadians as well. EXCELLENT point, nice observation :)

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BJ 2011/09/02 14:51:18

No

Obviously this money was hidden for a reason. It either belonged to someone who acquired it illegally - in which case, it would have been foolish to keep it and try to spend it (given that the serial numbers might well be traceable) - or it was a private individual's "savings account". A former owner might have buried it in the hope of keeping it safe for his or her family's later use, then passed away or been moved to a nursing home. Nobody can know for sure. But in either of these situations, if the money goes unclaimed, then the finder should eventually get it back.

I've never found and returned money, but I did pick up a very valuable emerald/diamond ring off the sidewalk and managed to track down its owner through an ad in the local paper. The person (who lived many miles away) was shocked to get it back, and phoned me in tears as it had been given to her by a deceased friend. She urged me to accept an insurance thank-you payment, as the company had already written off the ring and would be very happy with me. I did take that just to please her, went out to dinner with my husband, and have never regretted that I gave up a piece of jewelry I could never have afforded to buy for myself. It does feel great to be honest! I wish this gentleman all the best.

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gaylehelen 2011/09/02 14:50:28

No

I have his bad luck and it would have been stolen money. I don't need that hassle, thank you. He did do the right thing. Honesty IS the best policy and a good quality to have. I tried many years ago to teach my kids a similar lesson. A truck drove by and a brand new pair of roller blades in the box, priced at $129.99 fell off the truck right in front of our yard. We turned them into the police station, explaining how we found them. Three days later we saw the policeman's 12 year old son roller blading on those very same roller blades. True story. We have had an unfortunate history in my hometown with police horror stories. There is, as of today, 4 former police officers in prison. This is the exception to the rule, though. Our department has worked very hard to clean up the force and are doing a good job at it.
Again, honesty is the best policy. I hope no one claims it and he gets to keep it, or at least get a good reward for it.
Have a safe Labor weekend all.

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Stryder 2011/09/02 14:49:29

No

+1
Not knowing the history of the money he could have potentially set himself up for a legal nightmare. He did the right thing.

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kobidob... to Stryder 2011/09/02 15:47:39

You are right mens wisdom is a nightmare. It wasn't like he had a lot of money ,and found what he found. In this case I would say plead the case of the poor,and needy. Proverbs 31:9:Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. This is like a gift dropped at his doorstep. The things he grows are freely given ,and the money he found is like the broccoli God also freely gives to us.

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Elmo 2011/09/02 14:49:11

Yes

+1
duuhhhh . ita his backyard and the man broke . and if that was me i would have kept it to myself and hid it somwhere ... POINT BLANK PERIOD !

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lu lu 2011/09/02 14:45:45

No

No he did the right thing & if no one claims the money he maybe able to claim it?

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angel face 2011/09/02 14:44:11

Yes

+1
Hell yeah. I would have put some in the bank and spend a little and invest a little

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gouki 2011/09/02 14:42:59

Yes

+3
but what if the people that put it there come after you ?

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Elmo to gouki 2011/09/02 14:50:54

+4
HAHAA . then he just gone be runnin from them and whyy would you leave money in somebodyelses backyard!??

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ednatee 2011/09/02 14:42:35

No

when he bought the property, the $$$ became his

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Brad 2011/09/02 14:36:37
Philly B*star 2011/09/02 14:35:38

Yes

+2
Finders keepers, losers weepers

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Bob DiN to Philly ... 2011/09/02 19:09:23

The law don't work that way but it is his property on his property..

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PC Gamer Name "Angry Assassin" 2011/09/02 14:34:42

Yes

+1
I heard about this Story & I understand that the Man thought the People that "dropped the Money" would come back to claim it. In other words, that it was Ill-gotten Loot! Personally, If I had been in His place, I would've kept the Money! If the Money was Ill-gotten, I hope that the Individuals would make the mistake of coming back for it! Also, If they (the "Criminals") would've come back & "survived the Encounter" with me, then they would've had to explaing to the Authorities why they started something with me. That's of course, If they had "Survived!"

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dallasjoe 2011/09/02 14:33:19

Yes

+1
Safe bet Police will keep it for Donuts Coffee and Beer

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tff~PWCM~JLA 2011/09/02 14:29:09

No

my yard, my money!

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micha77 2011/09/02 14:27:46

No

Keeping it would probably cause more problems than its worth. $150K is not worth the hassle of the possiblity of some criminals, gangs or other bad dudes coming after you when they find out. Now $1.5 million is a different story. You can disappear easily with that kind of cash. Not that I would do it myself, but your chances are much better if you packed up and headed for parts unknown.

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Lady Whitewolf 2011/09/02 14:26:11

Yes

+3
Finders keepers!

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Barbara Paolucci 2011/09/02 14:24:14

Yes

+2
First the police and FBI need to do a good job of investigating the crimes that might have yielded the money and then if no one comes forward to say and prove its theirs, the money should go to this man. Ask yourself though, how does 150,000 in duffel bags end up in someone's back yard? Is it drug money, bank robbery or from some other crime? Who knows at this point. There should be fingerprints on the money and the bag. We'll see. If only this man's prints are on the money/bag I'd be very suspicious.

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Stryder to Barbara... 2011/09/02 14:51:57

If it was his money to begin with he wouldn't have returned it to the police.

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Barbara... to Stryder 2011/09/04 21:16:50

If it was his money to begin with and he needs a way to legitimize it, he'd do just what he did.

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Joseph Clancy 2011/09/02 14:22:27

Yes

+1
great.

reply
Pat 2011/09/02 14:22:12 (edited)

No

+2
No, he should not have kept it. Aside from the fact that it could be stolen money that would cause him huge problems if he tried to use it, the right thing to do is to find out if it belongs to anyone. I'm sure it was very tempting to keep it but, to his credit, he did the right thing and turned it in to the police. It is interesting that so many people would NOT have done the right thing. That says a lot about people today.

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PC Game... to Pat 2011/09/02 14:36:39

Possession is 9/10's of the Law!

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Stryder to PC Game... 2011/09/02 14:52:30

Not if it's stolen property.

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PC Game... to Stryder 2011/09/03 19:23:37 (edited)

If it's in a Bag & on Your Property & doesn't have ANY Identifcation, well enough said! The Bag was buried in the Ground! Well, If it's Buried in the Ground, "Finders Keepers!" I've heard of cases that Money & Coins have been found buried inthe walls of Home, Years after the Home was sold. "Nobody comes back to claim it????" It's the Current Homeowner's!!!! I recently heard of a Copy of "Action Comics #1" (The first introduction of Superman) that was found in the basement of a House that belonged to the previous owner that NEVER came back to claim it! The current Owner of the House sold the Comic Book, they's had the House under Foreclosure & about to lose the House! Now, Should the current owners have to turn over the Comic Book? If it's "Claimed" it doesn't belong to the Previous Owner! REASON? Because once the House is sold, anything in the house and/or Property belongs to the Current Owner! Also, How would they be able to prove that the Comic Book belonged to them???? Nice Try, Stryder! Try Again!

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Stryder to PC Game... 2011/09/03 21:36:50

Nice try at what? Obviously I have morals and you don't. If I found it I'd turn it in and THEN put a claim in for it. You'd just better hope that if it WAS "illegal money" that the owners don't come back looking for it one day and pay you and your family a little visit one night.

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PC Game... to Stryder 2011/09/06 18:30:05 (edited)

It's not about having "Morals," it's about having the intent of the "Law" on Your Side! Also, If it someone else's Money, Why didn't they "Claim It" before they sold the House? Also, I'm willing to bet that what "You're posting & what You'd actually do" would be two different things! So I don't think that You shouldn't be "All High & Mighty about Your Attitude and/or Your Morals"! The only thing thing that You're doing is trying to make Yourself look good here, Posting what You're Posting! At least, I'm Intellectually Being Honest About It! Also, If the "Owners of the Illegal Money" did come back, they'd have a Hard Time explaining why they broke into Someone's Home & got themselves shot by the Owner of the Home! One other thing, You might want to try getting a New Avatar, I think that You still have "Your Head Up Your A**!"

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Pat to PC Game... 2011/09/07 14:03:48

I'm sure you're right legally. I was speaking morally.

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