When Nicole Bailey found £20 (about $25) lying on the floor of her local One Stop store, she must've thought it was her lucky day. She took the money and didn't think twice about it, until she found out the police were looking for her.
It turns out a man had withdrawn the money earlier, but dropped it. He mentioned it to an employee when he couldn't find it, and when they checked the tape the owner recognized Bailey.
She was interviewed by police, brought before a judge and eventually fined around $200. Plus, her innocent mistake will end up on her permanent record.
It turns out that old chestnut "finders keepers, losers weepers" isn't true at all. You can keep money that you find in the street, but there are some very strict rules you need to follow.
Apparently, the difference between finding money and stealing it is asking around. Police were able to charge Bailey because she never asked anyone about the bill she found.
To be safe, bring any money you pick up to a police station. They'll ask about it and give it back to you if nobody claims it.
As for Bailey, she's warning others to be more careful, saying that her life has been ruined by the police investigation.
"The whole process has been very upsetting and I wanted it put behind me as soon as possible," she said. "I never imagined that there would be so much interest in the case. The media attention has now put my job in jeopardy and has turned my life upside down."
