Truesee's Daily Wonder

Truesee presents the weird, wild, wacky and world news of the day.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

 

Cash-stuffed envelope remains a mystery

Cash-stuffed envelope remains a mystery

Bernadine Kudia finally received her promised $600 refund -- and an apology for the delay -- from Joseph Painting Service. (Scott Strazzante, Chicago Tribune / January 11, 2011)

 

Despite continued efforts, the Dowdle family still has not found the true owners of more than $1,000 found on a sidewalk in Skokie

January 11, 2011

Jon Yates

Who knew it would be this hard to reunite an elderly couple with their lost cash?

But three weeks after Shannon Dowdle found an envelope stuffed with more than $1,000 in fresh bills, the owners of the money remain a mystery.

The Problem Solver wrote about the situation on Thursday, hoping the couple — or someone who knows them — would come forward.

So far, no one has.

"It's like a great novel and you want to know the ending," said Rick Dowdle, Shannon's husband. "I'm frustrated.

 

The lack of a conclusion is not for lack of effort.

After Shannon Dowdle found the envelope on a Skokie sidewalk Dec. 21, she and her Glenview family made it their mission to find the rightful owners.

The family has visited police, mall security and several stores near where the money was found. Their only clue about the owners came from a manager at a nearby Ulta store, who said an elderly couple came in Dec. 23 to ask if anyone found the envelope.

The manager said the couple would not give their names.

In the wake of Thursday's column, the Dowdles appeared on several television stations, and their story has been retold on various radio shows.

The Problem Solver has received about a half-dozen e-mails and calls from readers hoping the money was theirs. None of the inquiries panned out.

On Friday, Richard Dowdle contacted a spokesman for the bank whose logo is on the envelope. Since then, the bank has run several computer programs trying to match the money to people who withdrew similar amounts of cash.

The bank found two possible matches, but one has already been ruled out. The bank is still waiting to hear back from the second couple.

The Dowdle family remains optimistic the elderly couple will turn up. Rick Dowdle said it's possible the couple was from out of town or has since left town for the winter. Either way, he's hoping word will eventually reach them.

If it doesn't, the family is prepared to donate the money to charity.

Even if the couple surfaces after the donation is made, the Dowdles will return the cash.

"I'd go replace it," Rick Dowdle said. "I donate money to charity anyway."

The Problem Solver will continue to provide updates as warranted.

If the money is yours, or you know who lost it, call the Tribune's city desk at 312-222-3650.

The Problem Solver knows the exact amount that was lost, the denominations of the bills and the name of the bank on the envelope, so please do not respond unless the money is truly yours.

 

LINK TO ORIGINAL STORY:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/problemsolver/ct-biz-0106-problem-dowdle-20110106,0,3598638.column


Comments: Post a Comment

<< Home

Archives

March 2024   February 2024   January 2024   December 2023   November 2023   October 2023   September 2023   August 2023   July 2023   June 2023   May 2023   April 2023   March 2023   February 2023   January 2023   December 2022   November 2022   October 2022   September 2022   August 2022   July 2022   June 2022   May 2022   April 2022   March 2022   February 2022   January 2022   December 2021   November 2021   October 2021   September 2021   August 2021   July 2021   June 2021   May 2021   April 2021   March 2021   February 2021   January 2021   December 2020   November 2020   October 2020   September 2020   August 2020   July 2020   June 2020   May 2020   April 2020   March 2020   February 2020   January 2020   December 2019   November 2019   October 2019   September 2019   August 2019   July 2019   June 2019   May 2019   April 2019   March 2019   February 2019   January 2019   December 2018   November 2018   October 2018   September 2018   August 2018   July 2018   June 2018   May 2018   April 2018   March 2018   February 2018   January 2018   December 2017   November 2017   October 2017   September 2017   August 2017   July 2017   June 2017   May 2017   April 2017   March 2017   February 2017   January 2017   December 2016   November 2016   October 2016   September 2016   August 2016   July 2016   June 2016   May 2016   April 2016   March 2016   February 2016   January 2016   December 2015   November 2015   October 2015   September 2015   August 2015   July 2015   June 2015   May 2015   April 2015   March 2015   February 2015   January 2015   December 2014   November 2014   October 2014   September 2014   August 2014   July 2014   June 2014   May 2014   April 2014   March 2014   February 2014   January 2014   December 2013   November 2013   October 2013   September 2013   August 2013   July 2013   June 2013   May 2013   April 2013   March 2013   February 2013   January 2013   December 2012   November 2012   October 2012   September 2012   August 2012   July 2012   June 2012   May 2012   April 2012   March 2012   February 2012   January 2012   December 2011   November 2011   October 2011   September 2011   August 2011   July 2011   June 2011   May 2011   April 2011   March 2011   February 2011   January 2011   December 2010   November 2010   October 2010   September 2010   August 2010   July 2010   June 2010   May 2010   April 2010   March 2010   February 2010   January 2010   December 2009   November 2009   October 2009   September 2009   August 2009   July 2009   June 2009   May 2009   April 2009   March 2009   February 2009   January 2009   December 2008  

Powered by Lottery PostSyndicated RSS FeedSubscribe