Couple might keep 'cold cash'
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The Janesville police report that a Janesville couple recently found approximately $12,000 in the drip tray of the refrigerator in their rented apartment.
JANESVILLE — They get to keep the money.
James and Colleen Mesler, the Janesville couple who in December found a bundle of cash in their refrigerator, get to keep the thousands they found—if the rightful owner does not come forward to claim the money by Tuesday, March 11.
Janesville police informed the Meslers and the media Tuesday afternoon that their investigation showed the money was not stolen or linked to illegal drug sales.
“The money has been determined to be ‘found property’ and subject to applicable state finder statutes. The money has been returned to the bank,” police said in a release.
The Meslers published a notice Dec. 11 that they had found the money. The rightful owner has 90 days from such a published notice to claim his or her property.
If no one makes a valid claim by March 11, the money belongs to the Meslers.
“It will help so much,” Colleen, 65, said Tuesday. “I feel better. We can use it right now, but you’ve got to go through hoops.”
Jim, 55, said the money would pay bills.
“I don’t know where to start,” he said. “We got bills—as always. What’s new there? We all got bills.”
How much money—in $100, $50 and $20 bills—they actually found will be determined when M&I Bank exchanges the moldy, deteriorating bills for fresh cash from the Federal Reserve.
Besides disintegrating from mold, the money now is coated with the chemicals police used to try to find fingerprints.
Jim estimated the amount at between $10,000 and $12,000, while Janesville police put the total at $11,950 for purposes of a search warrant executed to retrieve the money from the bank.
Jim knows the stash contained at least $8,340 because that was the amount he and Colleen counted in good bills when they warmed the damp cash and separated bills with tweezers.
The former tenants of the Meslers’ apartment are defendants in cocaine-trafficking cases.
Police were investigating whether the money was from illegal drug sales, and investigators apparently did not find a positive link to such crimes.
Feb 27, 2008 at 5:24 p.m.
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Fortunately we do not have much worry about such corruption in the JPD.
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The money would be taxable, yes, but it depends on what other income and deducations the Meslers have. It might be as much as 15% based on some educated guesses. They'd still take home up to $10,000 or so -- enough for a good used car.
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Of course, the person who lost the money could report it on their taxes as a loss, but then according to the IRS, you are also supposed to report money you steal or obtain by selling illegal drugs. Heh. Well, it's how they got Al Capone ...
Feb 27, 2008 at 5:21 p.m.
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Jim and Colleen I am proud of your honesty and commend you for doing the right thing. As far as JPD it is not an issue they should even be involved with as if they arrested the people involved they should have issued a search warrant then and if so done a better job searching at that time. It is yours as far as I can see and enjoy the gift.
Feb 27, 2008 at 4:07 p.m.
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Yes the couple did a magnificent thing by turning it in.Builds my faith in people. The Police dept. did the proper thing,investigate it by law and did the proper thing by stating their intention of returning it to the Meslers if no legal owner appears. Now weather "rickswantsthemoney" did the right thing by his comments ,well I'll leave that up to each one to decide.
Feb 27, 2008 at 3:56 p.m.
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Well, I sure hope they get it. I'd just be afraid someone in the police dept. would find a "friend" to come in and say "Oh, yes, that's mine. Thanks!" and just split it with them. All they'd have to do is tell them just where it was found, where it was wrapped and how much there was. Sad that stuff like that could happen. This couple did the right thing. They deserve the money.
Feb 27, 2008 at 3:41 p.m.
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Ahah I wish I were that lucky.
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