Homeless Man Find $77,000, Gets to Keep It

Homeless man discovers bag of money

Homeless Texas Man: Finders Keepers Rule Applies to Found Cash

A homeless man in Bastrop, Texas found a large chunk of money in a city park -- and the City Council said he can keep it.

Talk about your fairytale endings.

In January, Timothy Yost was walking in Fisherman's Park, looking for a place along the Colorado River to wash his feet, when he stumbled upon a bag containing the money, MSNBC reports.

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He kicked the bag first, which jingled, so he opened it to find wet money and 40 gold Krugerrand coins from South Africa.

Yost tried to exchange the money at a bank, but was told the bills would have to dry first. The teller contacted police and the money was put into evidence.

An investigation was conducted by the local police, the FBI and a bank fraud investigation team. Under law, an ad was also placed in the local newspaper about the found money.

The investigation determined that it was found money and Texas law abides by a  "finders keepers" rule of sorts, that states the finder can keep what was found, as long as an original owner isn't located.

Mayor Terry Orr noted, "I hope this man can find some benefit in this; I hope it gives him an opportunity to change his particular circumstance," adding, "It's just one individual but hooray for him."

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Yost was just recently in jail this week for public intoxication and criminal trespassing, but told Austin's Fox 7 news his plan was to purchase a car first, saying, "I've been walking for so long; the first thing I want is a vehicle."

Better give up the drinking first, buddy.