Woman returns lockbox containing $40,000

updated 10:22 p.m. ET June 7, 2006

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. - Broken Arrow police are praising a Coweta woman who found a loaded lockbox from an automated teller machine and turned it in to authorities.

Teresa Stiles was putting gas into her car when she saw the lockbox, which contained about $40,000, fall off a Brink’s truck onto a street Monday morning. When neither the truck's driver nor other people nearby responded, Stiles retrieved the box from the roadway, put it in her car and drove straight to the Broken Arrow Police Department.

"It felt weird," said Stiles, who feared someone might think she was stealing the box. "It was really kind of nerve-wracking."

She said she looked for a phone number or other contact information on the box, but there was none. She said she did not know how much money was in the box, which was fully intact and still sealed when she took it to police.

Broken Arrow police spokeswoman Capt. Carole Newell said authorities think the lockbox fell off the Brink’s truck after the box had been picked up from a nearby Bank of America ATM.

Police and Brink’s officials have contacted Stiles to thank her for her honesty. Stiles said Brink’s officials have told her they want to do something for her in appreciation, although she said it's not necessary.

"I would hope that if anybody else would find it they would have done the same thing I did," Stiles said.

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