Would you return a lost wallet?

[CoffeeCheeseandCupcakes]

DH lost his wallet yesterday with a good amount of cash in it. Pretty certain it was whole we were at the playground - but have since retraced our steps, called all the stores we'd been too yesterday or near where we were, and posted on the community FB group.

I guess I shouldn't be, but I'm really surprised that no one's turned it in or dropped it back at our house (playground is around the corner and his license is in there with our address). If I'd found a wallet I'd absolutely try to return it to its owner and imagine I'd drive even a reasonable distance to if I had the address from the license.

So just made me wonder, what others would do? Would you return it? Leave it where it was? Take the cash? Take the whole wallet?

I once checked in to a hotel in Glasgow for work, opened the drawer looking for a hairdryer and there was an ipad, an iPhone, three plane tickets and two passports. I went straight down to reception with them. I always think how panicked the owner must have been.

In saying that when I went in to work the next day and told people a lot of them asked why I hadn't kept the ipad

Yes.

@HunterHearstHelmsley
Now, I didn't know that! But that is only any good if the person right behind you doesnt simply pocket it quickly before the machine can suck back in your rightful cash ?

@PaperTowels
I remember my first job, temping in Mayfair. My boss had his pocket picked in Bond St. He'd had 3K in his crocodile-skin Asprey wallet. This was 1988! Coming from a rather impoverished background, I was somewhat stunned, as I recall.

I would definitely return it. And so would lots of other people - I once left mine on a bus. Realised not long after I had got home, called the bus company and they confirmed they had it at the depot as someone else had passed it to the driver.

DH lost his wallet 4 times in about as many years a few years ago, once abroad, and each time the finders had handed it in somewhere sensible and/or contacted him directly and he always got it back!

I regularly see posts on SM informing people of they've lost a wallet to contact them or to let them know if they are looking for a wallet which shop has it. If it was in a shop I would hand it in

Have you checked with the police? If there are any cards in the wallet, sometimes you can get contacted through them. Be patient though. It took me a year to get my wallet back once as it took that long for a library to get my contact details. All the money was still in there including some bank notes that were just about to go out of circulation.

I always would return it but not sure if i would just drop it off at the police station.
I once found a purse on the pavement and the address was just across the road.
The opposite of pleased the lady was furious with me ,accused me of stealing it and if anything was missing to not move as she would be calling the police
Having gone through it she realised everything was intact and rather reluctantly apologised to me.
Never quite forgotten that

I found a wallet which contained a young man’s entire week’s wages in cash. Tracing him took all day then I handed it over and he said, “Cheers” and went on his way.
I’d hope everyone would return money they’ve found but also think the lucky recipient should give the finder a little gift to say thankyou.

I'd do my level best to return it, or hand it into the police if I couldn't find the owner.

We live quite near to a bookies, and over the years we've found quite a few ten or twenty pound notes in our front garden.

We stick these windfall pounds in the nearest charity collection tin.

DD found a tenner on the beach this summer...that was spent on ice creams!

Once when I was working in a call centre, I had to call a customer to say his wallet was in the police station. It had been gone so long that he’d given up. All the money was there that time too.

I would return it. Someone did for me 30 years ago, I had £400 in cash in my purse (expenses) and left the purse on top of my car and drive off. When it was returned everything was there, I gave the finder 15% of the cash as thanks.

Yes, definitely.