Drivers in southern California have scrambled to pick up cash after bags of money fell out of an armoured vehicle on a motorway.

The incident occurred on Friday morning on Interstate 5 in Carlsbad as the vehicle was heading from San Diego to a Federal Deposit Insurance Corp office, authorities said.

“One of the doors popped open and bags of cash fell out,” said Sgt Curtis Martin of California Highway Patrol (CHP).

Several bags broke open, spreading mainly $1 and $20 bills all over the lanes and bringing the motorway to a chaotic halt, he said.

Video posted online showed people laughing and jumping into the air as they held wads of cash.

Two people were arrested at the scene, and Martin said others found to have taken any of the money could face criminal charges. Authorities did not immediately say how much money had been lost.

He noted that bystanders had taken plenty of video and that the CHP and FBI were investigating, and urged anyone who had taken money was urged to bring it to the CHP office in Vista.

At least a dozen people had done so by Friday afternoon, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

“People are bringing in a lot,” Martin said. “People got a lot of money.”

The Guardian, UK