United States v. Mafnas

Mafnas (defendant), an employee of Guam Armored Car Service, transported bags of money belonging to two banks and, on three occasions, took money from those bags for himself; he was convicted under a federal statute prohibiting taking money from a bank with intent to steal. Mafnas argued on appeal that the armored-car company's contract with the banks created a bailment, giving the company — and by extension him, as its employee — legal possession of the money rather than mere custody, meaning his taking could not be trespassory theft.