A gas station clerk has been charged with theft for allegedly stealing a $1 million winning lottery ticket from an unsuspecting customer.
Lottery staff grew suspicious and launched an investigation after 23-year-old Meer Patel tried to cash the winning ticket, WSMV-TV reported.
The customer had bought two $20 Diamond and Gold lottery tickets at a Shell station in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and had asked the clerk to check to see if they were winners, WTVF reported.
“As some lottery players do to save time — the customer just scratched off the front bar code … and then asked Patel to check if they were winners,” the station reported.
The clerk paid the customer $40 in winnings for one of the tickets but threw the other in the wastebasket, telling the customer that ticket didn’t win anything.
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“As the gentleman left, he took the trash out. On camera you can see him grab the ticket and put it in his pocket,” Lt. Detective Steve Craig said.
“What Patel likely didn’t know is that lottery officials vet all big winners, and that includes checking security video,” WTVF reported.
The video showed the clerk “celebrating in the store after scratching off the front of the ticket and learning it was a $1 million winner,” The Tennessean reported, quoting a Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office news release.
The video also led investigators to the rightful owner of the ticket.
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“The man, the release said, was skeptical of the news but agreed to go to the Tennessee Lottery to claim his prize.”
The sheriff’s department post on social media platform X described the lottery winner as “surprised” and “thankful.”
An Antioch father was surprised when @RCTNSheriff detectives informed him he won the $1 million lottery.
A store clerk allegedly stole his ticket and tried to collect the prize.
Meer Patel, 23, of Murfreesboro was charged with theft over $250,000.
The father was thankful. pic.twitter.com/8pOP0pEs2q— RCTNSheriff (@RCTNSheriff) July 22, 2024
“The feel good side of this story is [the customer] never knew he was the winner until we made contact with him,” Craig said in the news release.
“That is absolutely life-changing money.”
Patel has been charged with theft of over $250,000.
“Theft on a million-dollar ticket is a Class A felony,” WTVF reported.
The station said he was booked into the Rutherford County Jail.
