Wonder why they left in such a hurry?

...and why does that always happen to someone else?

Global hunt for accidental millionaires - CNN.com

Okay. How can they be considered criminals if the BANK was the one that made the error and deposited the funds in their account? Sure, running (or going on an extended vacation) probably wasn't the smartest choice at the time (I would've held out for a nice reward before turning it in, but then again I'm a prick), but they did not steal it. They did not hack into the bank's computers. They did not crack the safe. They did not hold a gun to anybody. It was GIVEN to them. In error, yes, and there should be some moral and ethical compunctions to return the overage...but still, it was given to them. Making them out to be criminals only highlights the bank's incompetence, IMO. heh. Wonder if that employee lasted longer than a spammer on our boards, once the mistake was discovered...

RA, it is still theft, and there has been plenty of press coverage over it, and under what circumstances you are entitled to keep the money, but it comes down to this:
1. They knew that the money had been given to them in error.
2. They knew who had given it to them.

Yes, it does make the bank look bad, and they have been pretty quiet about it.

With regards to the employee lasting? It is almost impossible to fire an employee down here in NZ, so they'll probably still be there.

As tempting as it would be, running would be a very bad idea. It's not like the bank aren't going to notice (that would almost pay the retirement bonus for an executive)

How much time passed from the accidental deposit to the bank's discovery of their error. If this couple would have grabbed some short-term CDs or savings account for 2% or 3% in the time they had the money till it was requested to be returned...how much money could they have made?

I agree that running was stupid. I still find it hard to step from "stupidity" to "crime". If I ask you to borrow $10, and you hand me $100, running off only makes me a greedy bastard. Yes, I should point out the error. But you *did* give it to me.

That being said, I do NOT agree with their course of action. Mudpuppy has brought up a MUCH better alternative. I knew a guy in the Navy who noticed he was being overpaid for some reason. So he took the extra each month and put it in a CD. The Navy realized their mistake after about 5 or 6 months, and demanded the money back. So he pulled that amount out of the CD, and pocketed the rest.