Honesty pays. (The Goodness of America).

Joe Csira, 16, is a sophomore at Central Bucks West High School in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. On December 21, 2001, while Christmas shopping with his mother at a strip mall in New Britain Borough, he found six crisp, new $100 bills. He could easily have pocketed the cash without saying anything. Instead, he showed the bills to his mom, then they called 911 and turned the money over to the police. "It was," Joe asserts, 'just the right [thing] to do."

Even the police were somewhat surprised by Joe's expression of honesty. New Britain Police Chief David Sempowski told Bucks County Courier Times reporter Christine Moran, "I think few people would have done what he did. Especially around the holidays. I'm very impressed."

During the next few weeks, in the wake of two published notices that a "significant sum of money" had been found, the department received at least a half-dozen calls from persons claiming that they had lost cash. None, however, could specify the amount or types of bills, so the money remained unclaimed. It appeared that young Csira would be able to claim it, and the Courier Times for January 21st reported that "come tomorrow, Joe Csira's pockets will be $600 deeper." Instead, however, the borough solicitor informed Chief Sempowski that a state law might require the unclaimed property to be turned over to the state. He suggested that Joe would have to sign a form releasing the borough from liability should the rightful owner, or the state treasury, eventually claim the lost largesse. A spokesman for the treasury department promptly clarified the matter, however, explaining that unclaimed property found by police officers must be transferred to the state. However, if private citizens find such property they ca n have it if still unclaimed after a specified period.

When it was initially reported that the state, rather than the teen, might receive the unclaimed money, area residents began sending donations to assure that Joe was rewarded for his honesty. A woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, saw a television news report, and read a newspaper article, about the controversy. She called the police department claiming she had lost the money. She was able to give pertinent details that the police had not made public. Further investigation confirmed that she was indeed the rightful owner and the $600 was returned to her.

Nevertheless, on February 12th, at the borough city hall, Chief Sempowski handed Joe a large manila envelope stuffed with cash and checks from 30 or so strangers, including $100 from the woman who had lost the money. There were also sundry notes with comments such as: "Please accept my humble treat.... I would be proud to have you for a son"; and "there are few people who would turn over cash ... he's to be commended. Bless Joe Csira."

Joe told reporters that he was "shocked at all the people that sent me stuff." His mother described the outpouring of appreciation as "mind-boggling." Doylestown Intelligencer staff writer Freda R. Savana noted that "when he and his mother finished counting the 16-year-old was $1,085 richer. And that doesn't include the $100 savings bond from borough council, two tickets to a Philadelphia Flyers game, a watch, a movie ticket, driving lessons and an offer for a discount on a car."