Man Returns Money He Stole In The 1940s

SEATTLE -- The manager of the Sears store in downtown Seattle says an elderly man has repaid – with interest – cash the man says he stole in the late 1940s.

The note said the man stole $20 to $30 from a cash register decades ago and wanted to pay back $100.

Manager Gary Lorentson says he thinks the man's conscience "has been bothering him for the past 60 years."

Store security cameras recorded the man, but Sears officials said they don't know who he is and they won't release the video.

The store plans to put the money toward helping needy families in the holiday season.

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Comments

[ECJIM 3ABTPA BONHA]

04:10 PM on 12/01/2011

Good use of the returned money...points to sears for that.

[Joseph Glackin]

02:30 AM on 12/01/2011

From the sound of it, I would guess the gent is in a 12 Step Program.
The symbolism is more important than the amount.

[Christina-Xena]

07:51 PM on 11/30/2011

As much as I appreciate Sears appreciating the honesty of this over-changed customer let's not forget that virture is it's own reward. Anything above those returns is merely a bonus.

Nice story and lesson for life.

[CHUCK SIKORA]

01:27 PM on 11/30/2011

Last year I received $32.00 to much in change and when I returned it the store treated me like a hero. When I asked the store manager what the big deal was they told me it was very rare for someone to return money from a clerks mistake. They said the last time it happened was about 2 years ago, how sad. I couldn't see the clerk having to make up the loss when I probably make 10 times her weekly salary. They gave me a $25.00 gift card and months after when I was buying four hanging flower baskets they remembered me and gave them to me for free. For my honesty I ended up making $43.00 more then if I kept the money.

[Dan Legge]

01:16 PM on 11/30/2011

Sears can send the money to me,they still have not finished a job I contracted them for over a year ago and to top it off charged me interest on the work when i withheld final payment from them.they dont respond to complaints for weeks at a time.It looks like litigation may be my next option.

[bimininick]

11:47 AM on 11/30/2011

How many realize that the employee who worked at that cash register was held responsible for the shortage and their pay docked? Apprently it bothered the man. Good for him.

[pipersfu]

09:07 AM on 11/30/2011

My hats off to the gentleman. Thank you Sears for not releasing his ID.

Merry Christmas everyone.

[acarioti]

08:36 AM on 11/30/2011

Trying to get into heaven during the last minutes of life.

[Hypocrites are Watching]

10:57 AM on 11/30/2011

Money can not buy entrance into a fictional place no matter how much you spend

[ugot 2bkidding]

08:20 AM on 11/30/2011

I stole a pack of now or laters back in the early 70's and my mom saw them and made me go back to the store and tell the owner I stole it and pay him .13 cents for them. I never stole again. My older brother took a rock from the neighbors fancy rock driveway and my mom made him knock on the neighbors door and return it. He never stole again. My younger brother stole little Christmas balls from a store and my mother couldn't be bothered bringing him back inside the store to return them or pay. He basically grew up to be a petty thief.

[ziggysledz]

12:59 PM on 11/30/2011

Today the parents use strollers to steal themselves.

[ugot 2bkidding]

01:47 PM on 11/30/2011

You're right!!

[Ray Russelburg]

02:02 PM on 11/30/2011

They also attempt to smuggle drugs in childrens diapers,WHILE they are wearing them...

[ectullis]

05:20 AM on 11/30/2011

To bad our legislatures don't have a conscience.

[blpilot43]

05:00 AM on 11/30/2011

Pretty cool story...
Now I'm feeling a bit guilty for pocketing those 1 cent Bazooka Bubble Gums in the big glass bowls at the registers from the old grocery store I would go to with mom back in the 60's.
What would be the interest on 12 cents today? Hmmmm...

[Ray Russelburg]

02:04 PM on 11/30/2011

Oh man. You just reminded me.. I stole those too.......

[splenetic]

02:27 AM on 11/30/2011

Is he going to get away with this now? Does Nancy Grace know about this?

[AmagaiBluWave]

11:23 PM on 11/29/2011

Honesty is the best policy. God Loves YOU.

[wheezer9]

12:53 PM on 11/30/2011

wha god??

[wheezer9]

12:55 PM on 11/30/2011

What god?...it does not exist no matter how much you believe the story.

[sparkybrown7877]

03:59 PM on 11/30/2011

Hey, keep your beliefs to yourself, if she believes in God, that's for her to believe, why mock her?

[Karen Nagle]

10:44 PM on 11/29/2011

My Dad, when he was about 14 or 15, took $20 from the wallet of the man, William, who he was raising him. 50 yerars later, and much to the surprise of William, my dad, on one of his trips back to his hometown, went to see Bill, and returned the money. He never even knew my Dad had taken it all those years ago. When my Dad told Bill the story, and gave him the money back, they both shared a tender moment and actually cried and hugged, and shared the fact how much they each mean to each other. It was only a few months after that, that Bill passed away. Which reminds me never put off things you want to tell the people in your life, or the small acts of kindness you always think of doing, but never seem to find the time to do. You never know when you may not have that moment to be able to do so. Merry Chrismas everyone!

[Thaddeus Jude]

10:16 PM on 11/29/2011

Even if they knew who he was, I imagine the statute of limitations would make it pointless to release his name.