DANVILLE — A convenience store employee tried to steal a $100 winning lottery ticket from two customers, police say.

But Ryan E. Temple, 18, of 10 Delwood Drive, had an excuse: He told police the ticket fell into his backpack while working, and he then forgot the give it back to the customers when they returned.

Still, the charged Temple with theft and receiving stolen property.

Here's what happened, according to charges:

Nathaniel Hetherington, manager of Food Shop II along Route 11, called police Jan. 31 to tell them about Temple taking the ticket the night before.

He said video showed Temple sliding a $100 winning ticket under a mat on the counter as Nolan Thornton and Caelen Perez cash in winning tickets.

It then ends up on the floor near Temple’s backpack.

As police were talking with Hetherington about the matter, Temple walked in and handed over the ticket.

Temple said two men visited the store and cashed in a bunch of winning lottery tickets.

Temple said he thought he had already scanned the $100 Leprechaun Loot ticket and pushed it aside.

When he later went into his backpack for clothes, he found the ticket and said it must have fallen in.

When the two men returned to the store still looking for the ticket, Temple said he forgot the ticket was in his backpack and he didn’t remember to tell them.

Temple said if he wanted to steal the ticket he could have taken it to another store and cashed it in.

He said he was hoping the men returned to so he could give them the ticket.