Money Moral Dilemma: Should I return a lost £65 jumper and keep the cash?

Mr_Mann · 10 January 2018 at 1:51PM

Yes you could return it, but if someone comes looking for it later you should give them the cash. If after 6 moths no one has claimed it you could give the money to charity.

anita116 · 10 January 2018 at 2:11PM

No way should it be kept - it's illegal and immoral. You should take it to the police. Somebody somewhere has lost what is there's. How would you feel if that person was you???? I've returned stuff this way several times. If no-one claims it then you are allowed to keep it with a clear conscious and within the law.

Taplledraw · 10 January 2018 at 2:42PM

Most pubs will have a lost property book for everyone to look in if someone rings up/pops in to see where it is, the police can be informed but will not want to store it I suspect. There should be a box for lost property after 6 months if not claimed somewhere I know either gave it to a charity shop or sold it on ebay if worth it and gave the money to a charity. Members of staff took turns in suggesting a charity so different ones won.

ska_lover · 10 January 2018 at 3:44PM

I saw an article recently on a guy who went to a cash machine, and the previous 'user' had left some cash in - the chap took the cash

Next thing the police are splashing this guys photo all over facebook as he has commited 'Theft' - I was pretty shocked, this could ruin a persons reputation, lose them their job etc, all started off because of some idiots stupidity of leaving cash in the cash machine.

And if you were pretty skint, kids to feed, the week before Xmas, who would look a gift horse in the mouth? The alleged 'theft' had happened two days before the police decided to post the photo, maybe the guy had not had time to do anything about it or maybe he kept it, its hardly crime of the century

I mean some people are just basically idiots, who uses a cash machine and wanders off without the bloody money - its like setting someone up

gertie · 10 January 2018 at 5:27PM

I believe that if you hand in lost goods to the Police station if it is unclaimed within a certain period the goods become your property. That way it would be yours worry free

moneyistooshorttomention · 10 January 2018 at 7:52PM

ska_lover wrote: »

I saw an article recently on a guy who went to a cash machine, and the previous 'user' had left some cash in - the chap took the cash

Next thing the police are splashing this guys photo all over facebook as he has commited 'Theft' - I was pretty shocked, this could ruin a persons reputation, lose them their job etc, all started off because of some idiots stupidity of leaving cash in the cash machine.

And if you were pretty skint, kids to feed, the week before Xmas, who would look a gift horse in the mouth? The alleged 'theft' had happened two days before the police decided to post the photo, maybe the guy had not had time to do anything about it or maybe he kept it, its hardly crime of the century

I mean some people are just basically idiots, who uses a cash machine and wanders off without the bloody money - its like setting someone up

Well I guess that's one excuse for blaming the poor victim I suppose:eek::eek:

What excuse would you find if you murdered someone then? - in order to make out it was their fault that you chose to do so?

If the thief's reputation was "ruined" = good!!!! Serve them right for being a thief and trying to make excuses to themselves as to why it would be okay to thieve (apparently..).

meknowalot-51 · 10 January 2018 at 9:53PM

Take it to the police station and tell them you've put a sign up in the pub.You say you work in a pub,so what has the boss said you should do?I'm assuming you've told all the people you work with just in case someone comes in asking about it?

Philjam2 · 10 January 2018 at 10:02PM

First time forumite...joined so I could post a reply about this particular subject.

I lost an item of sentimental value few weeks before Christmas and was disappointed to find out that whoever had 'picked it up' in the store had kept it. Wasn't handed in to customer services etc..I rang police enquiry line 101 and was told to log it on the lost/found property page. I found out that by law you are legally responsible to try all reasonable efforts to locate any lost item with its original owner.
It takes five minutes to type in the details and maybe the person looking for it will see it on the police site.
It's possible they haven't realised they left it in the pub or I'm sure they'd have returned to enquire about it themselves. The whole point of lost property is that it's lost and you have no idea where it could be.

If it's not claimed via the correct channels then it's possible you then have a legal right to keep it as you've done what's necessary to return it.

Hope this helps

bargainbin · 10 January 2018 at 10:19PM

Absolutely not. :mad:
Many years ago my Mother In Law had bought a dress for our daughter from Marks and Spencer. She put the bag down to look at another item and forgot about it. She remembered a few minutes later but it was gone. Presumably someone had either kept the dress or returned it for the cash.
If possible it should be kept with the lost property in the pub. If this is not possible then take a photo of the item to keep in the pub and take the item to t he police. If it's not claimed within a certain time then the jumper belongs to the finder. They could then donate toe jumper to a charity or return to the shop and give the cash to a charity. There are plenty of worthy causes out there.

2ndwind · 10 January 2018 at 11:00PM

Most 7 year olds understand 'right from wrong', aged 10 we are all (with certain exceptions which I doubt apply to you) assumed to understand 'right from wrong' and able to make such moral decisions without too much difficulty.
If you were to return the lost jumper to JL and keep the cash, I believe you would be committing a fraudulant act. To argue to the contrary is merely self-delusion.
If you return the jumper and receipt to JL, they would doubtless be able to trace the purchaser and reunite them with their property.
If you would like thanks from the purchaser, you could leave your name and contact details with JL to pass to the purchaser? You have 12 days left (35 less 21) to behave responsibly.

Money Moral Dilemma: Should I return a lost £65 jumper and keep the cash?

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