The issue of having personal effects stolen can often be frustrating endeavor, but in the case of Reilly Flaherty off New York, there’s a dash of humor that can be added. That’s because after losing his wallet while attending concert at a concert in Brooklyn, Flaherty ended up having contact with the individual who took it-indirectly.
Inside the wallet were many of the usual items that the average person might carry: drivers’ license, credit cards and money. Flaherty immediately cancelled his credit card and had his license replaced.
Approximately 10 days after losing the wallet, Flaherty received an unmarked letter, which initially made him fearful of the fact that the thief knew where he lived. That fear quickly dissipated into something resembling bemusement as he read the enclosed note from the individual known only as “Anonymous” for obvious reasons.
The thief began by indicating that he had found the wallet, and was sending back Flaherty’s credit cards and drivers’ license. However, some of the contents would not be returned, with the thief giving the reasoning behind such a decision.
The undisclosed amount of cash inside was kept by the thief because he indicated that he needed to purchase marijuana with it. In addition, the Metro card for travel on the city subways was also kept. The reason given by the thief was that the fare had been increased to $2.75.
In addition to some of the contents of the wallet, the thief also indicated that he would be keeping the wallet itself. The reasoning behind the decision was that, “it’s kinda cool,” with the thief then concluding by telling Flaherty to enjoy the rest of his day. His salutation of, “Toodles,” before signing off as Anonymous was also something else that offered a tinge of amusement to the crime.
Flaherty posted a copy of the letter itself and gave a description of the events via the social media website Instagram. He indicated that the theft of his wallet was part of a continuing series of crimes within the city that were going unnoticed by both police and the media, though he has yet to file a police report about the loss of his items.
Being situated in the New York City area undoubtedly helped Flaherty’s unusual tale resonate across the country, with countless national media outlets noting the story within their coverage.
Flaherty was able to find some humor within the crime itself, saying that it was a case who went halfway toward doing the right thing before then deciding to stop at that point.
