Barrington police: No one claimed money found in woods

Some of the money will end up with Barrington police

Posted 10/16/17

Barrington Police Chief John LaCross said no one filed a claim for the nearly $200,000 in cash that was found inside two suitcases left in a wooded area of Barrington last year. 

The money …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Barrington police: No one claimed money found in woods

Some of the money will end up with Barrington police

Posted

Barrington Police Chief John LaCross said no one filed a claim for the nearly $200,000 in cash that was found inside two suitcases left in a wooded area of Barrington last year. 

The money will soon be dispersed to the the Barrington Police Department and the federal government — Barrington police will receive 80 percent of the money, and the federal government will get the remaining 20 percent.

In Oct. 2016, a group of children were playing in the woods south of Pine Top Drive when they stumbled upon a waterproof suitcase. They brought it home and told their parents. They opened the suitcase and found $110,000 in cash inside. 

A day later they brought the money to the police department. That same day, one of the children led police officers back into the woods where the first case was found. Officers then noticed a second Pelican waterproof suitcase wedged into the notch of a tree. Inside was $85,000 in cash.

With both suitcases, officers noticed the smell of marijuana coming from the cash, and, according to an affidavit that supports a federal court document, law enforcement officials believe that the money was likely from the illegal sale of drugs. 

There was a 30-day period during which individuals could file a claim to the found money. Chief LaCross said two people came forward to claim the money, but after learning that they would need to make formal recorded statements with federal agents, they both backed out. 

The chief said he is waiting for officials to sign off on the release of the seized money. He said it would likely be at least four weeks before the department would receive the money.

Chief LaCross said he plans to discuss possible plans for the money with Barrington Town Manager Jim Cunha. He added that there are rules about how the money can be spent; it reportedly cannot be used for personnel salaries or for supplanting money from the operating budget.

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.