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AIBU?

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To think my friend shouldn't have taken this money?

295 replies

Gracelet · 25/03/2024 08:09

She was at a National Trust type place which had a second hand book section. As she was browsing she found £165 hidden in one of the books. Rather than hand it in she just kept it and looked rather shocked when I said it was theft.

My perspective - the book belonged to the shop and therefore so does the money.

Her perspective - just luck she came across it so decided to keep it/the shop should have checked the books.

Just for extra info, she doesn't struggle with money but does live payday to payday.

OP posts:
Anonymous2025 · 25/03/2024 17:42

She could have at least bought the book to say it was hers lol 😂 joking ! I agree with you

Gettingonmygoat · 25/03/2024 17:41

If i lived close enough i would take it back, if not i would donate it to a local charity.

iwafs · 25/03/2024 17:37

If she needed it to feed her kids, then fine.

Otherwise no.

PinkIcedCream · 25/03/2024 17:32

I’d have definitely handed it in but I do have form for that.

A couple of years ago, I found a wallet with a few hundred quid in it on a low wall in the car park of a Hardware store I’d just been shopping in. I took it back into the shop and handed it into the customer services dept. I’m pretty certain the original owner would have realised their wallet was missing fairly quickly and hopefully retraced their steps. I’d say that 99.99% of the staff in our local shops are extremely honest.

People are always posting found bank cards, phones, keys etc. on our local Facebook page and tracking down the rightful owner.

potato57 · 25/03/2024 17:28

I would have at least bought the book.

Noseybookworm · 25/03/2024 17:28

I probably would have handed it in 😬 but I wouldn't be too shocked at her keeping it, a lot of people probably would!

Zyq · 25/03/2024 17:25

SabreIsMyFave · 25/03/2024 17:00

Off topic a bit, but some 10 years ago, my friend found a purse in the park. It had £550 cash in it!!! No debit card or any bank cards or library cards or anything, but it did have a drivers licence. Lisa Harris, 99 Hill View, Redditch. Born 03/03/1983. (So Lisa was about 30 at the time.)

The address was 3 miles away from where she found it, and so she drove to the woman's house to hand it to her - and a middle aged man answered the door. She said 'is Lisa in?' He said 'who?' She said 'Lisa... Lisa Harris.' He frowned and shook his head and said 'never heard of her.' She said 'so she doesn't live here? Is it possible she is an old occupier?' He said 'I have lived her 33 years and don't know any Lisa Harris.'

It was so odd, as Lisa was only 30, and yet he had been there since before she was born. 33 years. So why was her driving licence registered to that address when she apparently didn't live there, and he had never heard of her? Confused

My friend had no other way of finding out who she was, so kept the purse, and the money. I advised her to not spend the money and keep it for about 2-3 months, just in case she discovers someone has lost it. (Like she may see it in the paper/in the lost & found column etc...) Nothing popped up in the papers, or on facebook or anything about any missing purse with a large slice of cash in it, so she kept it. £550!!! Spent it on a long weekend away for her, her DH, and her 2 children. Who the F keeps £550 in their purse anyway? I wondered if it was drug money.

nb; The name Lisa Harris, (and the address,) is fictional! Don't wanna put the real one!!

!

Edited

Why didn't your friend take it to the police? They stood a better chance of tracing Lisa Harris through the licence or otherwise than your friend would.

ACynicalDad · 25/03/2024 17:25

If she handed the book to the cashier, took the risk it could be found, and bought it then it's sort of included in the price and she's lucky, but a bit unkind. If she just took it then it's theft.

SabreIsMyFave · 25/03/2024 17:23

MaybeRevisitYourWipingT3chnique · 25/03/2024 17:17

Many apologies, Patrickiscrazy - I've just re-read what you wrote and I was being seriously dim, as you were clearly saying that YOU are not British rather than berating somebody for using a 'non-British' word!

I was wondering what you were going on about! 😁

I do this on here sometimes. Misread the post, and then feel like a plonker! Grin

Zyq · 25/03/2024 17:22

Pinkdelight3 · 25/03/2024 09:13

Highly unlikely they'd be able to track down the owner of a particular book from a secondhand section. I do think it's different to finding money at a soft play or even on the street, where someone's likely to be looking for it having realised they've lost it. This is much more likely long gone and forgotten, the owner might even have died and their books have been donated en masse. If you had a big love for the NT, you'd be right to had it in and they could put it in their coffers. But I understand your friend's temptation. It does feel like a stroke of luck and a victimless crime. Maybe I'd have split it and handed in half to ease my conscience while enjoying the stroke of luck with the other half. If that makes me a terrible person, it's no worse than the buying the book logic.

But you don't know that the owner of the money isn't looking for it. For all anyone knows, the book was donated a few days ago and the owner has only just realised and is frantically dialling NT as we write. There's absolutely no reason to assume that all books in NT second hand shops were donated decades ago by people who have now died, rather the contrary.

crinkletits · 25/03/2024 17:22

She didn't even buy the book?

viques · 25/03/2024 17:20

MaybeRevisitYourWipingT3chnique · 25/03/2024 16:59

You're a very honest, conscientious person - they could have been worth a mint.

Hollow laughter.

Zyq · 25/03/2024 17:18

westisbest1982 · 25/03/2024 08:16

I agree with her, it’s not theft. She bought the book.

Where does OP say she bought the book?

viques · 25/03/2024 17:18

I can’t believe she didn’t even have the decency to buy the book!

MaybeRevisitYourWipingT3chnique · 25/03/2024 17:17

MaybeRevisitYourWipingT3chnique · 25/03/2024 17:15

I'm British and I've known for a very long time what 'guffaw' means.

But regardless of that, you don't have to be British to use MN; we have loads of people on here from all over the world. It's a UK-based site, but everybody is welcome.

I'm guessing there are a few Americans (or at least non-Brits) on this very thread, as several people have been using the word 'paycheck'.

Many apologies, Patrickiscrazy - I've just re-read what you wrote and I was being seriously dim, as you were clearly saying that YOU are not British rather than berating somebody for using a 'non-British' word!

Zyq · 25/03/2024 17:17

Janehasamane · 25/03/2024 08:14

I’d have handed it in, but I’d not really have taken issue if someone kept it. I don’t really see it as the national trusts. But the original owner of the book.

If it belongs to the original owner of the book, why would you not take issue with someone stealing it?

MaybeRevisitYourWipingT3chnique · 25/03/2024 17:15

Patrickiscrazy · 25/03/2024 17:10

What's Guffaw?
Not British 😂

I'm British and I've known for a very long time what 'guffaw' means.

But regardless of that, you don't have to be British to use MN; we have loads of people on here from all over the world. It's a UK-based site, but everybody is welcome.

I'm guessing there are a few Americans (or at least non-Brits) on this very thread, as several people have been using the word 'paycheck'.

rooftopbird · 25/03/2024 17:14

@PassingStranger @MumblesParty

Please see my follow up post. Wink

To think my friend shouldn't have taken this money?
SabreIsMyFave · 25/03/2024 17:14

Patrickiscrazy · 25/03/2024 17:10

What's Guffaw?
Not British 😂

It's a way to describe a hearty laugh - usually from a posh person! Grin

GinnyWizz · 25/03/2024 17:12

Wow. I'd be distancing myself from her. Theft, I agree. I was once informed after the fact that my friend had shoplifted when with me. I was horrified. Both of us learned a lot about each other that day!

MumblesParty · 25/03/2024 17:11

rooftopbird · 25/03/2024 16:18

Finders keepers.

@rooftopbird really? I found a wallet on a night out once. It contained money, cards, all sorts. Should I have just kept it?

Patrickiscrazy · 25/03/2024 17:10

BadLad · 25/03/2024 08:25

Guffaw

What's Guffaw?
Not British 😂

Cherrysoup · 25/03/2024 17:09

Can’t comprehend someone doing that. I’d have to hand it over.

Justleaveitblankthen · 25/03/2024 17:09

stonebrambleboy · 25/03/2024 08:13

It's theft, in my book😆

Brilliant 😂😂

TheFormidableMrsC · 25/03/2024 17:08

I think she should have handed it in. If she'd bought the book and found it at home then fair enough but to just take the money is a bit shitty.

I once found a pay packet on the floor in my road. I was about 13. It had £100 in it which was a lot back then. It had no name, it was just a little brown envelope. My Dad went round all the neighbours. We handed it in to the local police station. Dad put a note on the door in case it was the milkman/paperboy/postman but nobody claimed it and six weeks later the police gave it back to me. I felt like I'd won the lottery! I felt a bit guilty but we'd done all we could!