$1 Million Lottery Ticket Stolen, Returned to Winners

It was almost a million dollar lottery robbery.

A customer bought a big winning ticket but went home empty-handed.

According to detectives, the clerk tried to keep it to himself.

We’re talking about a $20 scratch card worth $1 million.

The customer walked into a Shell station in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, purchased two tickets and asked the clerk to check them.

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Rutherford County Sheriff’s detectives said a customer purchased two $20 Diamond and Gold lottery tickets from the seller, 23-year-old Meet Patel.

As some lottery players do to save time, the customer simply scratches off the barcode on the front and then asks Patel to check if they’ve won.

“If you scratch off the barcode on the front, you’ll know if it’s a winner or not, regardless of whether you scratch off everything that says how much you won,” said Detective Lt. Steve Craig.

He said both tickets had won, but Patel only gave the man back the winning $40 ticket.

He told him the other ticket was a lost one, but in reality it was a $1 million winner.

“He threw it in the trash. When the gentleman left, he took the trash out on camera. You can see him grab the tag and put it in his pocket,” Craig said.

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Not long after, Patel decided to take a shot at claiming the cash prize.

“He went to the lottery commission to claim the ticket but there were warning signs and they held on to the ticket,” Craig said.

What Patel probably didn’t know is that lottery officials check all big winners. That includes checking security video of the tickets purchased. Craig says that’s evidence that clearly shows the ticket was stolen.

“It’s pretty clear. Good enough to put in front of 12 jurors and they’ll come to the same conclusion,” Craig said.

Theft of a $1 million ticket is a class A misdemeanor. Patel is in the Rutherford County Jail. And as for that winning ticket? The customer who bought it has been found.

He wanted to remain anonymous, but now he is finally going to win the $1 million jackpot.

This story was originally published by Nick Beres at Scripps News Nashville.

$1 Million Lottery Ticket Stolen, Returned to Winners