Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - Gear Lust / Lost & Found

Rave About Your Rack Please do not post retail SPAM.

Author

What happens if you find something of value.

Snowyvic

4-Feb-2010
5:48:49 PM

WHY You should not hand over items you find to the policeand if you would like to keep them should they not be claimed.

I recently found a digital video cam left lying around in the park. No one was around and the park and the camera clearly was left lying there forgotten. I pout up notices and and contacted the park administration who advised that I hand it into the police which I did. (I would not want it to happen to me).

When I handed the cam into the police they said I could come back in 3 months and collect it. They did not expect the owner to claim it as in most cases the item is reported lost and a claim is made on insurance.

Three months expired and I went back to the police station to see if the item had been claimed, it had not.

Problem was the police were not willing to hand over the item even though I was previously informed that I could claim possession after three months. The officer I spoke to said that they needs to complete some paper work and that the process could take a further three months.

Why did they say I could pick it up in three months when I handed it in.

Yes you have an obligation to notify the police but you do not have to hand the item over you can keep it yourself in safe keeping. Now I would have preferred that the rightful owner get it back but gene that it has been abandoned I think I am entitled to it.

Maybe the police officers want to keep it for themselves.

Next time I will not hand over the item just the details. I was amazed by the police officers offence that I even turned up to pick it up. Even though they themselves said I could drop by and do so after the three months had expired.

I do not feel confident that the system works anymore.

citationx

4-Feb-2010
7:45:43 PM

what a heart wrenching story...

wallwombat

4-Feb-2010
9:29:49 PM

So did you fill in the necessary paper work?

Doing so would have effectively stopped them from keeping it themselves. Not doing so just plays into their hands.

I can see why your frustrated but even if you have to wait 6 months, you are still getting a video camera for free. Can't complain about that.

On the other hand, maybe the cop you talked to when you first handed it in was wrong in telling you what he did. Maybe the cop you spoke to the second time around was following the correct procedure. Who knows?

Just fill out the paper work and be patient. You are getting a free camera. No need to whinge about it.

J.C.

4-Feb-2010
10:02:36 PM

On 4/02/2010 wallwombat wrote:
>I can see why your frustrated but even if you have to wait 6 months, you
>are still getting a video camera for free. Can't complain about that.

These days a 6 month old camera is more commonly referred to as a paperweight! :)

Chuck Norris

4-Feb-2010
11:35:33 PM

That's made my day. Good to see that a consumptive czeck is still relevant.

"If you want to claim the camera please fill in form A and wait by the man minding the door."

50 years later as an old man "why hasn't anyone else ever waited with me?"

And yet you gave yourself and your soul willingly on the slab by the full moon.

Ask yourself who is the loser?

BoulderBaby

5-Feb-2010
7:50:20 AM

My Brother handed in a 8gig iPod 9 months ago, and got a phone call from the Police the otherday informing him, as it was never collected - It was now his.

gfdonc

5-Feb-2010
8:10:03 AM

On 4/02/2010 Snowyvic wrote:
>Three months expired and I went back to the police station to see if the
>item had been claimed, it had not.

Well the answer is straightforward, just give the details to a mate and they can go and claim it as theirs. No paperwork.

kieranl

5-Feb-2010
2:15:33 PM

On 4/02/2010 Snowyvic wrote:
>WHY You should not hand over items you find to the policeand if you would
>like to keep them should they not be claimed.
>
I think you're obliged to hand the goods over. Keeping stuff you find is a crime called "theft by finding" (I think that's the term). I agree that you should just fill out the paperwork and not whinge about it.

Bob Saki

5-Feb-2010
2:24:43 PM

well you did the right thing, it was never yours to begin with so you're not missing out on anything that really is rightfully yours.

Rewards enough IMO is doing the right thing anything good that follows should be a surprise.

Sabu

5-Feb-2010
3:15:05 PM

We've handed a ring in before, after a few months no one had collected it so now its sitting
on my desk waiting to be sold.

SummitSlag

6-Feb-2010
12:23:22 AM

The same thing happened to my brother on a shoot once. My brother works for the film industy and he found a camera worth 15 grand, he told centre management which they said the same thing hand it in to the police this happened at 2am when he found it so my brother took it home instead and put it in his safe. he called the police and reported it found but he chose not to hand it in as he thought it would be much easier to find the owner himself. my brother gave the police all his details so he could be contacted at his home and work, he even went as far as getting a list of all the people which had special access to the area he was in which is where he found the camera. next time when he was at work he emailed all the companies that were there that day also.1 year later and nothing still.

There are 11 messages in this topic.