Pennsylvania State Police Seeking Owner of Money Found in Middle Smithfield Township

An East Stroudsburg school bus driver made an unexpected discovery Thursday night when he found an envelope containing a large sum of cash on a Monroe County roadway.

The driver discovered the envelope around 9 p.m. at the intersection of Pocono Forest Drive and White Dove Drive in Middle Smithfield Township, according to Pennsylvania State Police at Stroudsburg.

The envelope was found to contain a significant amount of U.S. currency, though police have not disclosed the exact amount.

How to Claim

Pennsylvania State Police at Stroudsburg are asking anyone with information about the envelope or who believes they may be the rightful owner to contact them.

To claim the money, the owner would likely need to provide specific details about:

• The exact amount of cash
• Denominations of bills
• Any identifying marks or characteristics of the envelope
• Circumstances explaining how the money was lost
• Proof of ownership or legitimate possession

Police have not indicated whether any identifying information was found with the cash that could help locate the owner.

Contact Information

Anyone with information regarding the envelope should contact Pennsylvania State Police at Stroudsburg:

PSP Stroudsburg Station 570-619-6480

The station is part of Troop N, which covers Monroe County and surrounding areas in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Mystery Money

The circumstances surrounding how the money ended up on the roadway remain unknown. The intersection where the envelope was found is in a residential area of Middle Smithfield Township, not far from several housing developments.

Whether the money was accidentally dropped, intentionally discarded, or lost under other circumstances is unclear. Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the incident and attempting to locate the rightful owner.

The discovery raises questions about how much cash was inside and why someone would be transporting that amount of money without secure handling.

Honest Actions

The bus driver’s decision to report the found money to police rather than pocket it demonstrates integrity. Under Pennsylvania law, found property must be turned over to law enforcement, who then make reasonable efforts to locate the owner.

If no owner comes forward within a specified time period and meets legal requirements to prove ownership, the finder may be entitled to keep the property. However, that process involves documentation and legal procedures through the police department.

Found Property Laws

Pennsylvania law treats found money as lost property. Police departments typically hold found property for a designated period (often 90 days to one year, depending on value and jurisdiction) while attempting to locate the owner.

During this time, police may publish notices about found property and conduct investigations to identify owners. Legitimate owners must provide proof of ownership before property is returned.

If no owner is identified within the holding period, the finder may claim the property by following proper procedures. However, this doesn’t apply if the property was found on private property belonging to someone else, in which case the property owner may have superior claim.

The fact that police are publicly seeking the owner suggests they have not yet identified anyone with a legitimate claim to the money.

This is a developing story. Pennsylvania State Police at Stroudsburg continue to investigate. Contact PSP Stroudsburg at 570-619-6480 with information.