A Frenchman has made an unusual offer to share a €500,000 (£413,664) lottery jackpot with the thieves who used his stolen credit card to purchase the winning scratch card.
The Toulouse resident, identified as Jean-David E, is seeking to strike a deal with the two men who bought the winning ticket using his card at a local corner shop.
The scratch card has been blocked by France's national lottery operator, with no one yet coming forward to claim the prize.
Jean-David discovered his backpack containing his wallet had been stolen from his car in central Toulouse on February 3.
After blocking his credit card, he found that £43.47 had been spent in a contactless payment at a nearby shop called Tabac des Thermes.
He then visited the shop to inquire about any suspicious activity or whether his belongings had been left behind.
The shop's cashier informed him that two "homeless men" had used his card to buy cigarettes and scratch cards.
The thieving duo reportedly told the cashier they had won the €500,000 jackpot and planned to claim their winnings from lottery operator FDJ.
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The cashier became suspicious when the men were unable to enter the correct Pin for one of their attempted card transactions.
After speaking with the cashier, Jean-David alerted local police, who contacted FDJ about the situation.
If the thieves attempt to claim the prize themselves, they are likely to face arrest, with police expected to seize the winnings.
"Unless they contact my lawyer, the ticket is unusable. So why not settle amicably and do fifty-fifty?" Jean-David told RTL radio.
His lawyer, Pierre Debuisson, told the BBC: "My client was very happy to have his credit card stolen in these circumstances and so is not looking to prosecute.
"This is also a miraculous opportunity for these two men to build a new life for themselves."
"For that amount of money, I'm ready to come to an agreement," Jean-David added.
The deadline for claiming the lottery winnings is approaching, with winners having just 30 days from the date of purchase to collect their prize.
Jean-David has revealed he would use his potential share of €250,000 (£206,988) to help pay off his mortgage.
Find Out More...
The Toulouse resident, identified as Jean-David E, is seeking to strike a deal with the two men who bought the winning ticket using his card at a local corner shop.
The scratch card has been blocked by France's national lottery operator, with no one yet coming forward to claim the prize.
Jean-David discovered his backpack containing his wallet had been stolen from his car in central Toulouse on February 3.
After blocking his credit card, he found that £43.47 had been spent in a contactless payment at a nearby shop called Tabac des Thermes.
He then visited the shop to inquire about any suspicious activity or whether his belongings had been left behind.
The shop's cashier informed him that two "homeless men" had used his card to buy cigarettes and scratch cards.
The thieving duo reportedly told the cashier they had won the €500,000 jackpot and planned to claim their winnings from lottery operator FDJ.
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The cashier became suspicious when the men were unable to enter the correct Pin for one of their attempted card transactions.
After speaking with the cashier, Jean-David alerted local police, who contacted FDJ about the situation.
If the thieves attempt to claim the prize themselves, they are likely to face arrest, with police expected to seize the winnings.
"Unless they contact my lawyer, the ticket is unusable. So why not settle amicably and do fifty-fifty?" Jean-David told RTL radio.
His lawyer, Pierre Debuisson, told the BBC: "My client was very happy to have his credit card stolen in these circumstances and so is not looking to prosecute.
"This is also a miraculous opportunity for these two men to build a new life for themselves."
"For that amount of money, I'm ready to come to an agreement," Jean-David added.
The deadline for claiming the lottery winnings is approaching, with winners having just 30 days from the date of purchase to collect their prize.
Jean-David has revealed he would use his potential share of €250,000 (£206,988) to help pay off his mortgage.
Find Out More...