[karajorma]

First time in my life I've ever wished I was in Aberystwyth

Free Cash!

Police have appealed to people to return thousands of pounds which was thrown into the air on a pedestrian crossing in Aberystwyth.

Passers-by and motorists rushed to pick up around £5,000 in cash on Monday, seconds after a man was heard to shout: "Who wants free money?"

Urging people to hand in the cash, Dyfed-Powys Police said inquiries were continuing to establish its source.

After the incident, police arrested a 40-year-old man for driving offences.

Chief Inspector Huw Meredith, based in Aberystwyth, said the man was thought to have thrown away about £5,000, although police said on Tuesday that a proportion had been handed in.

"Inquiries are continuing to establish where the money came from," said Chief Insp Meredith.

"If people picked up the money we would ask them to hand it to the police."

Police said no action would be taken against people who returned the money.

The incident, which happened in Alexandra Road at 1100 BST, caused chaos as drivers and pedestrians, some on their hands and knees, picked up the money.

John Morris saw what happened from outside his shop in nearby Terrace Road.

He also caught the act on his CCTV system which scans the area near the town's railway station.

"I just couldn't believe my eyes," said Mr Morris. "All the money was in £20 notes and I've heard rumours that the man threw about £20,000 away.

"People were shocked and just couldn't believe it.

'It caused bedlam'

"It was like something out of the movies. It caused bedlam - people were on their hands and knees eagerly picking the money up.

"I heard that one person picked up about £800, and another banked about £150 this morning so it wasn't fake money."

On Tuesday, Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed a man from Aberystwyth had thrown a sum of money in the air in Alexandra Road before driving away.

The police added that some of the cash had been retrieved, and said that a man was later arrested in Aberaeron for driving offences.

[Wobble73]

Something similar happened a few years back in Bolton. The man didn't give the money away like, but he left it on the roof of his car as he opened it, forgot it was there and drove off! Around £7,000 was scattered all over the Dual carriageway. Police also asked for the money to be handed in and no action would be taken, but said they would prosecute people known to have taken some and not handed it in, I don't think anyone was charged in the end?

[Mefustae]

It would be a very interesting way of disrupting critical civic services. Scatter money on the roads at critical areas at an appropriate time, and you've created a living, breathing roadblock to emergency services and traffic in general. Interesting.

[Roanoke]

police were telling people in Aberystwyth they had to hand the money back in. Not sure how, I doubt any laws have been broken ?

[SadisticSid]

There weren't. If it doesn't go back to the guy who threw it in the air, I'll bet all the returned money will go into the same pot as the revenue, oops, fines from speeding cameras.

[Nuclear1]

First time in my life I've ever wished I was in Aberystwyth Great Britain

Updated for how I felt when I read this.

[aldo_14]

Aberystwyth is in Wales.

[Nuclear1]

Alright, so would I be correct to say Great Britain instead?

[Sandwich]

It would be a very interesting way of disrupting critical civic services. Scatter money on the roads at critical areas at an appropriate time, and you've created a living, breathing roadblock to emergency services and traffic in general. Interesting.

You'd better be careful what you say before they drag you off for questioning in regard to aiding and abetting a terrorist act.

[Nuclear1]

It would be a very interesting way of disrupting critical civic services. Scatter money on the roads at critical areas at an appropriate time, and you've created a living, breathing roadblock to emergency services and traffic in general. Interesting.

You'd better be careful what you say before they drag you off for questioning in regard to aiding and abetting a terrorist act.

Yes. They™ will find you and Silence You™.