Gwent Police has released this CCTV image of a man they would like to speak to in connection with the theft of £50 from a self-service checkout at Morrisons in Caerphilly town.
The theft happened on April 25 2013 after a person left the money in the machine.
Gwent Police has been criticised on its Facebook page over the appeal.
Facebook user Chloe Mitchard wrote: “Shouldn’t you be focusing on real crimes instead of someone being stupid enough to leave there money?”
A Gwent Police spokesman said the incident could act as a warning to people finding and keeping lost items.
Under law in England in Wales people who lose items, be it cash or a mobile phone, retain a legal entitlement to it. It is up to the person to take “reasonable steps” to find the person who lost the item.
Anyone who knows his identity is asked to call 101 quoting log 210 25/04/2013.
WITH SOME OF YOUR COMMENTS ON HERE ABOUT THIS MISSING MONEY GOD HELP US IF WE ALL ACTED LIKE YOU. THERE ARE DESPITE, SOME OF THE COMMENTS ON HERE A MAJORITY OF HONEST PEOPLE AROUND THAT WOULD HAVE HANDED THE MONEY OVER TO THE STAFF,NO WONDER WHAT TYPE OF SOCIETY WE LIVE IN TODAY.I MUST ADD THESE COMMENTS OFF ME ARE IN RESPONSE TO PEOPLES COMMENTS ON FACEBOOK