What are the legal repercussions of taking a found envelope of money?
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What are the legal repercussions of taking a found envelope of money?
I worked in a grocery store and a customer left an envelope of money behind at my register. I took the envelope of cash despite our companies policy on it. Ive since been fired. The envelope had no identification on it and I do not remember who the customer was. I understand the company had all rights to terminate me, but what legal repercussions could I face from the customer that left behind the money? I wrote a statement and signed it stating that I would be willing to reimburse the customer/company for the cash amount but I was lied to by the company about what I thought I was signing.
Asked on April 18, 2012 under Criminal Law, Kansas
Answers:
Kevin Bessant / Law Office of Kevin Bessant & Associates
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
The legal charge would be larceny (which could be a felony or misdemeanor depending on the amount of money). To make out a charge for larceny, the prosecutor would have to show that you had an Intent To take the envelope from the person without any intentions of giving it back (i.e. stealing the envelope). Also, because you were an employee of the store, the could also charge you with fraudulent conversion or embezzlement, but this is unlikely given that it was not the store's money but a customers.
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