Finders keepers, losers weepers - but what would you keep?

[Neil]

So I saw that story on the news about the road drain clearer guy who'd found a 20k Rolex, handed it in, and stands to get it - then found 3 more expensive watches down drains, and has handed them in, too.

In this instance, from what I can gather, they have no records (presumably serial numbers) of them being reported as stolen. And there's obviously something fishy about them being where they were.

Psychologist woman on the BBC news programme, seemed to keep mithering about the social suprise of drain guy's honesty, how that would be the norm these days, but going back many years, presumably the reverse would be the surprise.

Which all leads me to my question, retroheads - what would you keep, what would you hand over to the police? What's the tipping point for you?

Personally, things like wallets, purses, handbags, that sort of thing, I'd hand in, or endeavour to return them - and have in recent times. Same with things like mobile phones.

What about other things, though, random cash, larger amounts of cash, other gadgets or items? What would you simply keep, what would you endeavour to return or hand in to a site, or the police?

 

[lumos2000]

i saw that on the news to, it got me thinking. personl things like phones wallets and cameras with photos ect id hand in and hope for a small reward, i wouldent like to lose these myself. anything of value id like to think id do the honist thing but would probley keep it, depending on the situation.
i have found stuff in the past and handed it in and also kept things. i found a policmans wallet once just after he dropped it. i chased him down the road and gave it back. it had about £15 lots of credit cards and i think his warent card. he was pritty rude about it and acused me of robbing him. my 6 year old daughter pointed out that he dident even say thanks. so i probley wouldent do the same again

 

[cyfa2809]

Id have to say id gve back personal effects, but then you never know whats personal to some people.
Its morally right to give stuff back, whether theyre grateful or not is another story (although most are).
I think id have to judge it at the time. Tenner found in the street or whatever i would keep but most other things i would base my decision upon maybe how long it had been there, value, anything personal about it and whatnot.
If i did hand something in to the police i would most likely chase it up the best i can too.

 

[Neil]

i saw that on the news to, it got me thinking. personl things like phones wallets and cameras with photos ect id hand in and hope for a small reward, i wouldent like to lose these myself. anything of value id like to think id do the honist thing but would probley keep it, depending on the situation.
i have found stuff in the past and handed it in and also kept things. i found a policmans wallet once just after he dropped it. i chased him down the road and gave it back. it had about £15 lots of credit cards and i think his warent card. he was pritty rude about it and acused me of robbing him. my 6 year old daughter pointed out that he dident even say thanks. so i probley wouldent do the same again

That really takes the biscuit, doesn't it.

I mean the standards of police intelligence... takes a special kiind of policeman to think that somebody who'd just robbed his wallet, would chase him down to return it.

I agree about the personal stuff, and things like wallets - you only have to realise yourself, when you lose those sorts of things, it's often the personal things you truly miss. Plus the hassle of having to cancel everything, and the hassle of getting access to your money in the interim.

 

[IDB1]

I'd probably try to return or hand in anything of value (personal or monetary) that I found.
The guilt of keeping something would eat me up...

 

[Barneyballbags]

Cash - Keep it
Wallets - Hand them in (with contents inside )
Phones - Hand them in (chances are they'd get blocked anyway)
Laptops etc - Hand them in
Jewellery - Hand it in
Bikes - Hand them in

Then just wait 4 weeks or whatever it is, and claim it as yours if it hasn't been claimed already.

The guy who found the watches handed them all in, and in all honestly I'd be surprised if he didn't at least get to keep a couple of them, which will be a nice little windfall for him, without the possible guilt of not having handed it in in the first place...

 

[lumos2000]

i saw that on the news to, it got me thinking. personl things like phones wallets and cameras with photos ect id hand in and hope for a small reward, i wouldent like to lose these myself. anything of value id like to think id do the honist thing but would probley keep it, depending on the situation.
i have found stuff in the past and handed it in and also kept things. i found a policmans wallet once just after he dropped it. i chased him down the road and gave it back. it had about £15 lots of credit cards and i think his warent card. he was pritty rude about it and acused me of robbing him. my 6 year old daughter pointed out that he dident even say thanks. so i probley wouldent do the same again

That really takes the biscuit, doesn't it.

I mean the standards of police intelligence... takes a special kiind of policeman to think that somebody who'd just robbed his wallet, would chase him down to return it.

I agree about the personal stuff, and things like wallets - you only have to realise yourself, when you lose those sorts of things, it's often the personal things you truly miss. Plus the hassle of having to cancel everything, and the hassle of getting access to your money in the interim.

he was trying to save face in front of his colleagues who where all taking the piss. i took it as a joke at the time but after thinking about it he could have been more gratefull

 

[tintin40]

Keep every thing

 

[legrandefromage]

'lost, £20, reward: keep it'

 

[Chris]

My Mum found a big bag containing loads of sheet music and handed it in. After a few weeks she was contacted saying they were going to give it to charity unless she wanted it.

She collected the bag and went through it until she found a phone number which she rang, a woman answered and my mother told her about the bag etc.

The woman said she thought she might know who it was and contacted this guy. The guy then contacted my mum and arranged to collect the bag.

Turned out it was his lifes work that was stolen from his car and dumped just up the road on the morning my mum had found it, and had been immediately reported to the police.

Apparently the police are far too busy to investigate things like this and find it easier to give peoples possesions to charity :shock:

Needless to say the guy was over the moon and very lucky to get it all back.