Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Finders keepers losers weepers?

26 replies

Tainbri · 15/06/2017 19:25

Came back from lunch break today and my colleague exciditly told me how she'd just got 50 quid in gold money from a bracelet she'd found in the changing rooms in a clothes store. I was a bit shocked as having lost a 21st birthday present bracelet my nan gave me and searched frantically for weeks, I thought she might have handed it in for the owner to maybe be reunited with? Confused

OP posts:
frogsgoladidahdidah · 15/06/2017 19:26

I would have handed it in to the police. F it hasn't been claimed after so many weeks (I think 6? Or ten?) they return it to you.

Asmoto · 15/06/2017 19:29

I agree, she should have handed it in either to the police or the shop - if it was a chain store, they will have a lost property procedure.

PippaFawcett · 15/06/2017 19:31

That is theft

Northgate · 15/06/2017 19:32

I thought that there was some sort of theft by finding laws?

As in, you can't legally assume the found item is abandoned until you've made an effort to find the owner, because the item may have been accidentally lost?

Jupitar · 15/06/2017 19:33

That is theft by finding. If she'd been caught on cctv then she could have been arrested.

My local police do appeals for info on average once a month on fb for people caught on cctv picking up something that didn't belong to them.

FelixtheMouse · 15/06/2017 19:34

Stealing by finding is the legal term, I believe.

Sandsnake · 15/06/2017 19:34

That's theft to me. Can't believe she thought that it was acceptable enough to brag about it to you!

SignOnTheWindow · 15/06/2017 19:36

What a nasty, dishonest woman she is.

Fluffypinkpyjamas · 15/06/2017 19:43

Horrible woman. I just hope that if she loses something valuable either financially or emotionally, someone does the same to her. I also would not trust her with my things at work.

Original poster
Tainbri · 15/06/2017 19:45

Thanks guys! She thought I was just being an idiot thinking otherwise Blush I work with her so wasn't going to kick up a fuss, but feel same, effectively stealing (and I didn't even know there was a law!!)

OP posts:
3littlebadgers · 15/06/2017 19:48

Yes it is a horrible thing to do. It is no better than theft. A mum in the playground left her phone on the train, I suggested her calling lost property she looked at me like I had two heads and said "right, like if you found a new Phone you wouldn't just keep it!" Er no! Hmm

Secretsweets · 15/06/2017 19:52

Hopefully the person that lost it - or even better, the police, will find it in the pawn shop and she'll get in trouble for it !

TheWitTank · 15/06/2017 19:52

What an awful thing to do. Profiting from someone's misfortune- that bracelet could have been very precious to the owner. Would be quite tempted to tell the police but I highly doubt they would do anything

CaoNiMartacus · 15/06/2017 19:54

Some people are so effing grabby it's unreal. To find and keep something is bad enough; to find something and SELL it is beyond!

Leanback · 15/06/2017 19:55

That's theft

TheWitTank · 15/06/2017 19:58

I was at a cash point once when the guy in front forgot to take his dispensed money (over £100) and walked off to into the pub next door. The bloke behind me in the line was most indignant that I didn't pocket it -I went into the pub and found him (luckily he had twigged at the bar and was dashing out!). I wouldn't dream of doing something like that. Really just a horrible thing to do as well as criminal.

DancingLedge · 15/06/2017 19:58

It could have been something of huge sentimental value- gift from someone now dead, or something.
But what goes around, comes around.

Redglitter · 15/06/2017 20:01

Definitely Theft by Finding
What a horrible thing to do

DancingLedge · 15/06/2017 20:02

When I was v. young, first job, first room in shared flat, earning peanuts, I stupidly left my purse, with weeks money, in a phone box. It was handed to police. I'd have been properly screwed, borrowing and paying off debt for months, otherwise. I was SO grateful it was found by someone honest. I vowed to do the same for anyone else that I could.

notknownatthisaddress · 15/06/2017 20:04

Disgusting horrible selfish behaviour from your 'friend.'

She should have handed it into the store, or the police, or advertised it on facebook or something.

Hopefully the same will happen to her one day.

Tapandgo · 15/06/2017 20:17

It's theft - appalling behaviour

woodhill · 15/06/2017 20:18

Very dishonest. When I was a kid I remember finding a gold bracelet with a friend. Took it to police station but wasn't claimed. Think we sold it and gave money to RSPCA.

Original poster
Tainbri · 15/06/2017 20:19

Let's be clear, she's my colleague not my "friend" Hmm she had me thinking I was just an idiot for thinking what she'd done was out of order - said that if she hadn't found it the ship assistant would and she'd have done the same. Colleague thought it was just her lucky day SadAngry

OP posts:
PenguinOfDoom · 15/06/2017 20:24

My ex's brother found a wallet with £200 cash in it. He kept the cash and handed in the wallet. When I told him he was wrong, he was genuinely put out and said he considered the cash his 'reward' for being honest and handing the wallet in. I said, 'well, you aren't honest, are you, because you've stolen £200 of someone else's money.'

He kept offering to share it with us by buying us all a takeaway and couldn't understand why we refused. Some people just don't get how to be decent human beings.

Swipe left for the next trending thread