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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not hand in £5 to the local police station?

199 replies

maresedotes · 19/10/2011 20:15

On the way home from school DD1 (9) found £5 outside the local pub. I told her to keep it. DH thinks she should hand it in to the local police station.

I will honestly tot up the answers and do whatever the majority tell me to do!

BTW, if it was a wallet or purse I would hand it in.

OP posts:
Angel786 · 19/10/2011 21:35

I look around to find the owner and no- one was around, it was late at night and the bank was shut. Not in my local area either so couldn't go back the next day. I have found moneybin the machine and returned to the owner when I could see who it belonged to. Anyhow, a charity got 25 quid.

I would buy five scratch cards / lottery tickets with it...

ladyintheradiator · 19/10/2011 21:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

happyinherts · 19/10/2011 21:37

How do you know she'll get it back in four weeks, trust the police do you?

They'll just stick it in their charity tin and say it was claimed if ever asked. QUite honestly a waste of police time

Angel786 · 19/10/2011 21:43

happy that's if it doesn't end up in the police donut / take away fund...

hauntmenow · 19/10/2011 21:44

Yes happy, I'd get a receipt.

grubbalo · 19/10/2011 21:44

With cash machines, if you leave the money long enough it goes back in I believe.

Re the £5 - it isn't much but I think I'd go to the police just to reinforce that it's the "right" thing to do. I completely agree that noone will ever claim it and then she'll get it back, so it's going to end in the same result.

I know as adults we can separate the difference between finding £5 and finding £50, but I think 9 is a little young to be explaining the difference!

hauntmenow · 19/10/2011 21:46

Happy and donut, shame on you both for your cynicism and lie peddling.

Inertia · 19/10/2011 21:47

I'd get her to hand it in to the police. In all likelihood it'll be returned to her if no one claims it. She's old enough to appreciate that the person who dropped it might be someone to whom it's a significant amount of money- it could be a child's birthday money, it could belong to someone with failing eyesight, or maybe someone with arthritis who finds handling money physically awkward. Even if someone does claim it, your DD should be able to take some comfort from the fact that somebody was reunited with their property, probably someone who really needed the money. It's probably not been dropped by someone who is so rich they can afford to scatter money around town without even noticing.

Perhaps if it's not returned to her you could get her a treat /reward for her honesty?

I did once find a tenner in the street when I was a student, and I handed it in. And my children found a fiver under a neighbour's car in our communal car park- we returned that to my neighbour.

slavetofilofax · 19/10/2011 21:48

I'm shocked that so many people would keep it!

It's not worth handing in but I couldn't keep it! I'd either give it to a big issue guy or give it to charity.

It could be a real lesson to your dc, you have a brilliant learning opportunity here. I would explain why it's not worth handing ot to the police and tell her what usually happens when you do, but also explain that it wouldn't be right to keep something that's not yours, and then help her choose a charity to give it to.

fourkids · 19/10/2011 21:52

I'd let her keep it. I would probably need to borrow it within a day or two anyway. Then I would pay her 1% interest and, as well as learning that if you don't take care of your money and lose it, it's gone for good, she would learn that being in debt and paying interest is a bit if a mug's game.

If she grows up to be a sensible lass who takes care of her pennies and never spends on the never never, she'll have this one fiver to thank :)

usualsuspect · 19/10/2011 21:55

Most people would keep a fiver fgs

marykat2004 · 19/10/2011 21:59

Wallet with address: turn it in. Or mobile phone or anything like that. But £5? Outside a pub? Keep it. The person might not even know he or she lost it. It sounds like a lot of hassle to turn in it and then wait a month when it's only £5. .. but up to you. Here's a vote for keeping.

discobeaver · 19/10/2011 22:01

Keep it. The lesson she will learn is to take care of your cash, if you drop money in the street a kid will find it and spend it n the charity shop!

I found ten quid at Glastonbury festival, bought me and the kids 3 baked spuds and tuna, yum yum. No qualms about that sorry.

dexter73 · 19/10/2011 22:02

Let her keep it.

mickeyjohn · 19/10/2011 22:08

When i was in my 20s and really skint (end of month, spent all my wages in Warehouse and Vicky wine) I saw a tenner on the ground at Wandsworth common station - a little boy saw it too, and we both lunged for it...I shoved him out of the way and said 'Finders Keepers' and legged it....haha!! KEEP the money!! I'd keep whatever I found, up to a few hundred quid I reckon...shouldn't be so careless!!!

highlandcoo · 19/10/2011 22:08

Take her to the police station and let her hand it in. Hopefully someone there will praise her for being honest plus she'll end up getting it back later.
We don't want our kids to learn that if you find something that's not yours you get to keep it - do we?

discobeaver · 19/10/2011 22:10

Mickeyjohn!! Snort.

Angel786 · 19/10/2011 22:11

Laughed out LOUD at Mickey. You could've given the kid a fiver?

Maryz · 19/10/2011 22:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LadyEvilEyes · 19/10/2011 22:18

I've lost fivers and tenners over the years,
I knew there wasn't the slightest chance I'd get them back. My bad luck, and if I found one, well by good luck Grin
Of course I'd hand in a wallet but a fiver on the street!? And to all those that say hand it in, supposing it had been a £1 or £2 coin, what then, if you're going to be totally honest then coins should be handed in too.

MilyP · 19/10/2011 22:18

Keep it. No one is seriously going to go to the police station and ask for their fiver back. Most people who loose money have no idea when or where they loose it and certainly don't think to ask the police if they have it.

Sleepglorioussleep · 19/10/2011 22:18

I found a fiver when I was little and made my mum let me hand it in at the police station. I don't think it's a bad life experience to have. Also, a fiver is far more significant to a child who might be imagining their pocket money or birthday money when they see it and so should be treated more seriously. I would at least get them to do something altruistic with it so they don't learn finders keepers. Bake sone cakes and give them away? Put it in a charity box. Sorry, but I think there's a good experience to be had out of this.

Growlithe · 19/10/2011 22:19

Get a grip folks, she found it outside a PUB. Its a fiver. Chances are the person who lost it would not even realise its missing. Please let her keep it. We all lose money at some time in our lives, and I wouldn't think to go to the police over a lost fiver. Just don't let her spend it on Bumpeez [hgrin]

fourkids · 19/10/2011 22:21

Bumpeez - sounds like an exotic 'extra' at a massage parlour!

pithedmyselfwithfear · 19/10/2011 22:21

Keep it, but don't spend it all at once, or on sweets.

Anything less than £20 is not even going to be reported to the police and

you'd be wasting their time and yours.

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