About $1 Million Recovered : Armored Car Spills Cash in S.F.; 3 Take $460,000

Three people apparently made off with at least $460,000 after a crate of money bags fell off an armored car Tuesday, police said.

The unidentified individuals scooped up the cash-stuffed bags and drove away after the crate, containing more than $1.5 million, fell out of a moving Loomis Armored Inc. truck when the rear door flew open in the Mission District.

The truck driver was unaware of the loss until he stopped two blocks away after a motorist honked his horn and said the truck’s door was ajar, according to Police Officer Harry Soulette, who was flagged down by the driver.

By the time Soulette and the Loomis driver went back to the crate, a crowd had gathered around the fallen bags. About $1 million was recovered.

Some people were putting the sacks back in the crate, but a few had other ideas.

“There was a gentleman from the post office grabbing bags of money out of people’s hands and putting them back in the crate,” Soulette said. “At least three people looked at him and told him what he could do with his suggestion. . . . Several people decided they were going to take advantage of what happened, threw the bags into their cars and left.”

Witnesses were able to give detailed descriptions of three of the people and their cars. If found, they could face felony grand theft charges, police said.

“My advice to them is to turn it in,” Soulette said.

Louis A. Lopez of Daly City did that immediately. He drove straight to Loomis and handed over two small bags containing $40,100, Soulette said.

Loomis, which was still calculating its loss Tuesday evening, said there was at least $500,000 in cash in the bags originally reported missing. The money had come from different banks and businesses, police said.