'Hidden Cash' crowd gets rowdy in Whittier
WHITTIER, Calif. (KABC) -- Possible changes may be coming to the "Hidden Cash" craze in Southern California after crowds swarmed a park in Whittier Thursday night.
Jason Buzi, the man behind the mad dash for free money, indicated on Twitter that he may not be making anymore night cash drops.
"So no more night drops? Totally different energy. This morning was awesome. Tonight, not so much," @HiddenCash tweeted.
Crowds got rowdy after hundreds of people descended on Penn Park to search for money. Whittier police responded to the scene around 10 p.m. to ask people to leave because of the park curfew. No injuries were reported.
Several officers had to stay on patrol at the park throughout the night to make sure no one came back.
"I think the intentions of those who are doing it are good-natured. There's always peripheral impacts on communities like this, particularly the residents in this area that are trying to sleep and get up to go to work the next day, so I empathize with both sides of it," said Lt. Kent Miller with the Whittier Police Department. "It's always nice to have free money, but at the same time, resources are being used and drained to keep people under control."
On Friday morning, things were calmer when the scavenger hunt arrived in Huntington Beach. Hundreds of beachgoers searched the sand for cash hidden inside PEZ dispensers.
"This is pretty neat. I'll take the cash and the Hello Kitty collectible PEZ dispensers," said Randall Zempef, a Huntington Beach resident who found money.
Buzi brought his treasure hunt back to the Southland on Thursday. This is his second "Hidden Cash" visit to the area. He also drew big crowds when he was here last month.
