Store worker gets $1.3 million overpayment

BIRTLEY, England, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- A British supermarket worker said he was rewarded with a crate of beer for returning $1.3 million that was mistakenly deposited in his bank account.

Stephen Foster, an employee at the Co-operative supermarket in Birtley, England, said his girlfriend noticed his pay slip listed the amount as $2.3 million and he used an ATM to verify the deposit, which came to $1.3 million after taxes, The Daily Telegraph reported Tuesday.

Foster said he was careful not to spend any of the money and contacted company higher-ups to arrange for the cash's return.

"Due to an error in our wages department earlier this month, Stephen Foster, an employee at our Birtley regional distribution center, received a monthly salary payment of 1.4 million pounds ($2.3 million)," a Co-operative spokesman said. "This was somewhat higher than he would normally expect, but thanks to his honesty and that of his girlfriend, the money was back with us within 12 hours of it being paid to him. We were surprised and concerned about our mistake but not by Stephen's exemplary behavior, which is typical of him."

Foster said his employers rewarded his honesty with a crate of Budweiser beer.