Money on the ground in July is not something just anyone can pick up, let alone steal.
Even casually picking up money from the ground mostly brings misfortune, because many people, or rather ghosts, like to attach all their bad luck from the year to it before throwing it away. Whoever picks it up ends up bringing home yin energy, ghost energy, and bad luck, mostly resulting in misfortune.
Or, there are many mischievous ghosts who enjoy placing money on the road and using an Eye-blocking Technique to make it look real. Once picked up, they exploit a loophole in the Ghost Realm: "You've taken my money, I'll buy a bit of your luck!" Then, while someone is picking up the money, they follow them around, causing trouble and not letting them live in peace.
And since one has indeed taken the money, such behavior is considered legal.