Man finds $3,800 in dumpster

MURFREESBORO, Tenn., April 10 (UPI) -- A Tennessee man who found $3,800 in cash while searching for cans in a trash bin said the money was too much not to return to its owner.

Joe Ellis said he was retrieving cans for recycling from the Dumpster outside the Speedy Mart in Murfreesboro when he discovered a small plastic bag containing multiple hundred dollar bills and three bank deposit slips, WKRN-TV, Nashville, reported Wednesday.

"I turned it in to the people, the two guys that worked there [Speedy Mart] and I told them about what happened and I gave them the money and he was counting it out, the guys and they said it was almost $4,000," Ellis said.

Maulik Patel, manager of the Speedy Mart, praised Ellis for his honesty.

"I can tell he's a trustworthy person you know, he's a nice guy," he said.

Ellis said police were able to track down the owner of the money, who said he accidentally threw it away while cleaning out his car.

"That's too much money for me to find and not turn it in," Ellis said.

Ellis said the owner of the cash thanked him with a $400 reward.