Posted on 12/19/2015 8:52:20 AM PST by Hojczyk
'The right thing to do': Applebee's waiter hands in $32,000 in cash that a family forgot at a table
A restaurant waiter in central California has been praised for his honesty after he handed in $32,000 (£21,500) in cash left behind at a table by customers.
The 10-year employee of the Applebee's restaurant sought to remain anonymous and declined repeated requests to accept a reward from the family, director Carrie Hellyer said.
"He just said that he did it because it was the right thing to do and he didn't want the right thing being overwhelmed by anything else," Hellyer said.
The family left a canvas pouch stuffed with $32,000, all in hundred-dollar notes, at an Applebee's restaurant in Fresno on Wednesday, according to a local police spokesman.
The waiter turned the cash - roughly equivalent to his annual salary - over to his manager after discovering it at the family's table, and it was picked up by a police car later in the day.
When the family called police on Thursday to report the loss, arrangements were made for them to pick it up at the station.
Underscoring the waiter's honesty, Hellyer said there was no surveillance camera in the area where the family left their money.
The money was returned to the family only after a detective determined it was obtained legally. The cash came from rental properties and a Mexican restaurant the family operates in the San Francisco Bay Area town of San Jose.
"You know how some people don't use banks, I think they're that type of person," the police spokesman said.
The family had attempted to rent a safe deposit box at a bank, but none was immediately available, he added. As a result, they had the cash with them at Applebee's
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
The police militarization fund thanks the honest server. The DEA and theirs are investigating the family.
That's what I thought. Since this story is two years old, perhaps there's a follow up.
A very Christmas thing to do. Selfless and generous. Displaying solid Christian values. Kudos to the honest man. You can put the lamp down now Diogenes.
Story is from 2013 - Sounded familiar.
It looks like it is actually a 2015 story.
Perhaps the mod can correct the date.
Good on the employee for doing the right thing. I hope they were rewarded for it in a good way. Even if they want to remain anonymous.
I can imagine all the things going through the finder’s head: “Seriously? Is this a test? Who would leave that much lying around? Bad guys?!? They’ll tear this place apart if they don’t get it back!”
A guy I know here in Reno sells used cars. He targets “immigrants”. Oddly they pay for a $5.000 car with a fist full of money orders. Couldn’t figure it out so he asked a customer what was up. Customer’s answer - no big brother watching. So the guy said - well when you go to the DMV big brother will know you bought a car. Customer said - no my brother in law bought the car. “He is the front man.”
First of all, it’s sad when anyone does something honest that it’s a big deal.
Second, the family owns a restaurant and doesn’t have a bank account? The IRS will want to know about that.
Third, finding an honest cop who didn’t keep the money is a bigger story than an honest waiter.
This is central California, Fresno. Meth labs are rampant. The mountains are full of illegal marijuana grows guarded by the Mexican mafia. Someone leaves $32,000 in cash supposedly from a Mexican restaurant? They are obviously laundering drug money, maybe through a “legitimate” business, the restaurant? If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck...
I've read that almost all circulated US bills really do have trace amounts of cocaine on them. So I suppose all money carried by anyone is subject to confiscation.
the family owns a restaurant and doesn’t have a bank account? The IRS will want to know about that.
Third, finding an honest cop who didn’t keep the money is a bigger story than an honest waiter.
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Well, the family may be well aware of the Obama regime’s policy of taking people’s money if Hussein’s agents can make a case for “structuring” (making repeated deposits for less than 10K— you know, like depositing cash at the end of a day). Sometimes it might just pay to keep operating cash without depositing it routinely.
And your comment about the cops taking money (that they then use to buy their department various goodies) they designate as “drug money” is on point also.
We have become like the former Soviet Union with much of the economy being a black market that hides under the radar.
I believe that the family earned this money 'honestly' with the only caveat being that they earned it in such a way that it might not have been as taxed or regulated as the government would have liked.
In the long run it would be better if people fought against the government for lower taxes and less regulation, but individuals who have to make a living and provide for their families can't wait until the congress pulls its collective head out of its posterior.
Their only option is to work off the books.
I honestly don’t know what to believe about it, frankly. The story as reported just seems suspicious to me. The very last place I would go is to eat out and leave a pouch with $32,000 in it in a restaurant.
Yeah, right. I'm familiar with several oriental restaurants. Cash has a way of disappearing off-the-books. Many years ago, a friend of my Dad's owned a deli. He ended up with about $50,000. in a shoebox.
Considering the degree that our money supply is said to be tainted with the stuff who would or could be surprised?
The guy needs to keep his head down too: people have given death threats to such honest folks.
It is very common for south of the border residence to not put money in to banks. Especially in the less stable places.
What stands out to me is that someone is still busing tables after 10 years at Applebees.
Point is there is an honest guy out there.
The what ifs and maybes regarding how the cash was acquired is irrelevant to the story about an honest man.
"He just said that he did it because it was the right thing to do and he didn't want the right thing being overwhelmed by anything else," Hellyer said.
The waiter's refusal to allow any follow-through is the natural instinct of a righteous man. Any reward for the act, even publicity, makes the act immediately transactional, and renders the motivation for doing the act at least partially self-serving. I cannot tell you how refreshing it is to hear of that rare man who has got his priorities so much in line with God's will.
God bless the waiter for his honesty.
Story of the day!
Funny, I’d never seen that before.
Thanks.
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