Santa Barbara Co. teen returns purse filled with $10K cash

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY (KTVU) - A Santa Barbara County teen was driving home from school Wednesday when he noticed a purse on the side of the road near Turnpike and Cathedral Oaks. 

According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, when 16-year-old Rhami Zeini opened the purse he found $10,000 inside. There was no identification inside the purse so Rhami called his parents for advice on what his next steps should be. 

Rhami, along with his parents, drove to the sheriff's office to return the purse - with the cash. 

"Our Watch Officer was able to contact the owner who was very grateful, as you can imagine, to have the purse returned," said the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. 

The woman believes she had placed the purse on the roof of her car and forgot about it as she drove away. 

"Thank you Rhami for doing so many things right from observing the purse in the first place, stopping to get it, contacting your parents for help and for turning it in," said the sheriff's office. 

Rhami told his family he was just doing what he would want someone else to do if they lost something valuable. 

The owner of the purse rewarded Rhami for his good deed with $100.