MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WSMV) – An Antioch man was close to losing out on a $1 million lottery ticket after a store clerk allegedly stole his ticket and attempted to collect the prize, according to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO).

The sheriff’s office said the victim bought two winning tickets at the Shell gas station on Greenland Drive in Murfreesboro. Detectives with the sheriff’s office reached out to the victim and informed him about his winning ticket being stolen.

“The feel-good side of this story is the (the father) never knew he was the winner until we made contact with him,” Detective Lt. Steve Craig said. “That is absolutely life-changing money.”

The store clerk, 23-year-old Meer Patel, has been charged with theft over $250,000. During the transaction, RCSO said the man gave the tickets to Patel, who paid him for the lesser-winning ticket and allegedly placed the $1 million ticket in the trash.

Later, Patel allegedly tried to claim the prize from the Tennessee Lottery, but the employees were immediately suspicious, RCSO explained.

“Store video obtained by Investigators Vic Donoho and Greg Heiman of the Tennessee Lottery showed the clerk allegedly taking out the trash, removing the winning ticket and placing it in his pocket,” RCSO said.

Patel was spotted on camera celebrating in the store after scratching off the front of the ticket, confirming it was a $1 million winner, the sheriff’s office said. He’s being held on a $100,000 bond at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center.

He’s scheduled to appear in court on July 30. RCSO adds that the victim and now big lottery winner, was very thankful.