Calif. family finds $10,000 in box of crackers

[okarol]

Calif. family finds $10,000 in box of crackers

Sat Dec 27, 3:45 pm ET

IRVINE, Calif. – The box of crackers Debra Rogoff bought from the grocery store had some crackerjack in it — an envelope stuffed with $10,000.

Yet the Irvine woman was more curious than ecstatic about her daughter's find. After all, who would leave money in such a place?

"We just thought, 'This is someone's money,'" she said. "We would never feel good about spending it."

Rather than go on a shopping spree, the family called police and was initially told the money could be part of a drug drop.

Police later heard from store managers at Whole Foods in Tustin that an elderly woman had come in a few days earlier, hysterical because she had mistakenly returned a box of crackers with her life savings inside. In a mix-up the store restocked the box rather than composting it.

The Lake Forest woman, whose identity was not released, had lost faith in her bank and decided the box would be a safer place for the money.

Luckily for her, the box of Annie's Sour Cream and Onion Cheddar Bunny crackers were bought by the Rogoffs, who discovered the crisp $100 bills in an unmarked white envelope on Oct. 10.

The Rogoffs never heard from the woman and didn't receive a reward, but Rogoff did return to Whole Foods a couple weeks later.

"I asked them if I could have another box of crackers," she said with a laugh. The store obliged.

___

Information from: The Orange County Register, http://www.ocregister.com
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081227/ap_on_fe_st/odd_cracker_box_money

[Rerun]

I'm glad the old lady got her money back.  I would just like to win the lottery.  I won $2 on a scratch ticket Christmas Day.

                                                                                                                                                                 

[Sluff]

Thats $2 more than I won...

[Chris]

Ummm, seems that the store doesn't pay attention to products returned which to me is a red flag. If someone returns n item for money back or exchange, they should look at the product to see if it has been opened.

The lady is lucky she got her money back and hope she learned a lesson on where to not keep the money. Buy something you'd never eat and put it in there and hide it all the way in the back.

[RichardMEL]

Honesty may well be its wn reward, and I admire the family who found the $$$ for what they did given how easy it would be to take the cash and run (so to speak) but I think it's a bit stiff that the woman who lost the dough (and got it back) couldn't even write a thank you letter! She could have done that without revealing her identity (which no doubt would be very embarassing for her, let alone those out there who might try and take advantage of things). Heck I've already half written in my head a letter I might like to write to a kidney donor's family if that was ever permitted (I am not sure if it is allowed or not down here) but you'd think the woman could have given a note of thanks at least to the police to pass on. I know I would have!!!

[boxman55]

"Annie's Sour Cream and Onion Cheddar Bunny crackers " what the heck kinda crackers are those???  Boxman

[Chris]

"Annie's Sour Cream and Onion Cheddar Bunny crackers " what the heck kinda crackers are those???  Boxman

Must be a California thing?

[Jess21]

"Annie's Sour Cream and Onion Cheddar Bunny crackers " what the heck kinda crackers are those???  Boxman

Must be a California thing?

Organic crackers.  Jewel has them in the organic aisle.  Yuck..I worked there too long if I know that!

[Chris]

We never had an organic section when I worked there. Oh we had organic produce that never sold and usually went in the garbage. Ohh the days of taking over bakery and cooking our lunch

[okarol]

"Annie's Sour Cream and Onion Cheddar Bunny crackers " what the heck kinda crackers are those???  Boxman

Never heard of them! 

[Chris]

How many guy's go into the organic food section at the story, really?

I did not know this till Jes told me that we have them here. However, not sending a search party to go find them.

[RichardMEL]

My brother is ultra vegan everything and EVERYTHING he has has to be organic! I swear he keeps them in business. The other day he had... organic beer!!!! 

[monrein]

I love Whole Foods but too expensive to shop there very often.

[Jess21]

Does anyone want me to send them a box? I'm going to the store in a few days for much needed groceries.  However, there will NOT be any envelopes filled with money in them!  Sorry! 

[Chris]

That just looks like something you feed a rabbit. 
Reminds me of the old Hartz animal food boxes.