Store clerk arrested for stealing $1 million lottery ticket

A store clerk in Tennessee was arrested for theft after he stole a father’s lottery ticket and tried to claim the million-dollar winnings himself, authorities said.

Meet Patel, 23, was charged with theft of over $250,000, according to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.

The real winner purchased two Diamond and Gold lottery scratch-off tickets for $20 each at a Shell gas station in Murfreesboro, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

The customer scratched off the barcodes on the front and asked Patel to check if they were winning tickets.

Since the customer did not know the value of the tickets, Patel gave him a smaller prize and threw the winning tickets in the trash.

He told the man that one of the tickets had won $40. He pretended that the other ticket was a loser, when in reality it was a million dollar winner.

The store’s surveillance video showed Patel taking the winning ticket from the trash and putting it in his pocket.

Afterwards, a video shows him celebrating in the store.

When Patel tried to claim the prize, lottery officials became suspicious and began an investigation, including looking at the store’s video.

Patel is being held on $100,000 bail.

The rightful owner was unaware of his lottery win until he was contacted by Detective Lieutenant Steve Craig of the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.

“This is absolutely life-changing money,” Craig told NewsChannel 5.

The father, who wanted to remain anonymous, had to be convinced that the winnings were real.

“He was very grateful,” Craig said.

Patel is being held at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on $100,000 bail.