By Kathryn Reed

A few drivers might be regretting dodging the small suitcase in the middle of Tahoe Keys Boulevard the other morning.

South Tahoe public works crews saw it and knew to remove the obstacle. What they didn’t know is inside was $5,000 in two bundles of one hundred dollar bills.

Before retrieving it near the corner of Highway 50, Walt Schild and Aaron Schmalenberger joked there may be money inside the bag. Unzipping it to find a name of who it might belong to revealed the cash and clothes.

The crew drove to the job site, called the cops, and then took everything to the police station.

The out of town couple who the bag of money belonged to was at the station about 8:50am Monday when the city crew arrived. Officers verified the goods belonged to the couple.

“We met the people. They were nervous,” Schild said.

Why they were carrying so much cash is not known.

Schild said he’s found a few wallets with cash through the years, but nothing like the find this week.

“I turn them in and people look at you like you’re nuts,” Schild said.