£1 million in cash spilled across Wiltshire road

Lorry shed cash load
Lorry shed cash load



More than £1 million in notes and coins was spilled across a road in Swindon, and armed police were called in to dissuade locals from running off with the lucrative haul.

Money spilled from lorry
Money spilled from lorry



A lorry in Swindon was forced to pile on the brakes yesterday lunchtime. The notes and coins being stored in the back, were flung to the front of the trailer - and smashed through the metal, spilling out onto the road. The Metro reported that £1 million was strewn across the tarmac.

Coins spilled from lorry
Coins spilled from lorry



The money was all bagged up, and although a couple of bags of coins burst, most stayed intact, so the cash couldn't roll or blow away. However, Sergeant Gemma Vinton was one of the first on the scene, and according to ITV, she confirmed that armed police were in attendance to protect the lorry's cargo.

Cash disasters

It's not a great day for the driver, but it could be worse, as there are plenty of instances where people have lost significant sums after a moment of carelessness. Back in January, an armoured truck in New York lost a bag of money, after the latch on the back door failed and it flew open. The money was strewn across the Long Island Expressway, and $170,000 fell out. Just $40 was recovered.

In October last year an armoured truck in Maryland lost a bag of cash after a door swung open on the interstate. The driver and police recovered $200, but they reported that significant sums had also been scooped up by passing motorists. Maryland Police reminded drivers they were welcome to turn the money in at the local barrack.

The previous August, an absent-minded security truck driver in Atlantic City accidentally left the cash he had picked up from a casino on the roof of the truck. The bag was thought to have contained $21,000.

However, there are some instances like this that restore your faith in human nature. In Utah last month a man stopped to pick up a bag on the Interstate, because he thought it was a traffic hazard. The bag turned out to contain about $22,000 - which had fallen off the back of an armoured truck - so he picked it up, drove to work, and called the police to hand it in.

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Several Arrested After Grabbing Cash Dropped By Armored Vehicle In Hong Kong
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