US: Commuters shut down highway to collect wads of cash in San Diego

On Friday morning, traffic on California's Interstate 5 came to a halt as an armoured car spilled cash across the freeway north of San Diego. A number of drivers and passengers stopped their vehicles to collect what they could. At about 9:15 am, the armoured car was going north on I-5 in Carlsbad when one of the doors unexpectedly swung open and bundles of cash poured out, as per the reports of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The money was largely in $1s and $20s. However, the authorities want all of the cash back which was collected at the scene.

Sgt. Curtis Martin of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) warned that anyone who is caught with the money may face criminal charges. He said there was a lot of footage shot by spectators at the site, and the CHP and FBI are looking into it. According to him, anyone who took money was advised to deliver it to the CHP office in Vista.

Dozen people return money: CHP Officer Mary Bailey

According to San Diego Union-Tribune by Friday afternoon, at least a dozen people had returned the money they had collected. CHP Officer Mary Bailey said in a statement Friday night that multiple images and videos were uploaded on social media that caught faces and licence plates at the scene of this crime and that they will find everyone who has the money. Bailey thanked the people who had already returned the money but said that those who haven't returned it yet are encouraged to return it within 48 hours to avoid possible criminal prosecution.

The CHP is collaborating with the FBI to find out who was involved in the money heist. The CHP released 16 photos and video still frames of persons who snatched the cash from the highway. Demi Bagby, who is a fitness trainer shared a video on her Instagram account featuring people collecting the money in the middle of the freeway.

Police arrests two people in San Diego

Two people were later arrested in San Diego, and investigators are on the lookout for more. A CHP spokesman stated that a man and a woman were arrested on suspicion of stealing money, according to Fox 5. The spokesperson further stated that the pair's car was hindering the traffic after they got locked out of their vehicle.

(Inputs from AP News)

Image: Instagram/@demibagby