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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Aibu to ask if you lost a solid gold bracelet in Selfridges last week?

134 replies

Lostandfoundwoman · 27/12/2017 16:31

On 19 December, I found a solid gold bracelet (hallmarked) in one of the concesssions of Selfridges on Oxford Street. I took it to the concession's till where staff said they would take it to Lost Property on the fourth floor. When I wrote down my details so I could have confirmation it had made it there, they decided they were too busy to go to the fourth floor after all. So I was going to take it up myself.

A name-badged member of the concession's staff then approached me and said she would take the bracelet straight to the 4th floor. I gave her my details so that I could have confirmation of safe receipt by LP.

The next day, having heard nothing, I emailed Selfridges with a photograph of the bracelet to check it had found its way to Lost Property. They replied 2 days later at 10pm saying the store was closed so they couldn’t tell me.

I emailed again a few days later, and this time they emailed back saying they couldn’t tell me about the bracelet because of data protection.

I pointed out I was not asking for personal information, just whether the bracelet had safely made it to Lost Property and whether it had been claimed. I also said that if it was not claimed, then I expected it back as I was the next rightful owner. Actually, I am not very interested in having it but I do want to ensure it has not disappeared along the way.

This afternoon, Selfridges wrote back one line: “We would not be looking to release the item to yourself.”

Would it not be easy for them to tell me if the bracelet is in Lost Property and/or whether it has been claimed? Is there any good reason I haven’t thought of for them to be so evasive? AIBU to find their communications strange? What do stores usually do with valuable unclaimed Lost Property?

Anyway, if any MNer lost a solid gold bracelet in Selfridges last week, I can match your description with my photo and let you know where it should be!

OP posts:
Pengggwn · 27/12/2017 16:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SalvatoreGiuliano · 27/12/2017 16:45

I'm sure it's all above board, but maybe a quick call to 101 might be in order ? It would be a shame if some unscrupulous was able to used "data protection" to hide dishonesty ?

wherethevioletsgrow · 27/12/2017 17:17

It probably did go to Lost Property- i doubt the staff member took it. And I also doubt that they would release the bracelet to you just because you were the one who found it. I think it becomes the property of the store if it is unclaimed.

Original poster
Lostandfoundwoman · 27/12/2017 22:19

Thanks for the replies. What I don’t understand is why they are so reluctant to confirm whether or not the bracelet made it to Lost Property. Oddly, I just received another email from them saying that they cannot answer my queries owing to data protection ???

So who gets the bracelet if it’s not claimed? As far as I can tell the law is that the finder has a good claim against anyone other than the original owner when property is lost (and against all people if it is abandoned). Do the Lost Property staff just distribute stuff amongst themselves? I would be happier to know it was auctioned and the money given to charity, or some such, if not eunited with its owner. I don’t see why Selfridges should acquire it - if that were the case then they would have no incentive whatsoever to try to find the owner.

I am not sure I would hand anything in to a Lost Property department ever again. Next time I would take it to the police.

OP posts:
ConciseandNice · 27/12/2017 22:22

I knew someone who found 25k in notes in a holdall. She took it to the police station and (however long) after got a call from them saying it hadn't been claimed and that it was hers.

helpmum2003 · 27/12/2017 22:24

Totally agree with you lostandfoundwoman. Very evasive..... Maybe if you'd taken it yourself they might be more helpful but still very poor. Nothing to do with data protection to say if received and/or claimed.

Mollie85 · 27/12/2017 22:25

I’m in the Channel Islands and my friend took a sapphire bracelet to the police station - ten weeks later they phoned her to collect it as no-one had claimed it. It might be different in the UK though?

TammySwansonTwo · 27/12/2017 22:31

When I've worked in retail in the past we've taken the details of the person who found it and they got it if it wasn't claimed within a set time period. If they didn't want it, staff members could take stuff. Honestly it wouldn't surprise me at all if the staff member took it - have seen it happen.

Angrybird345 · 27/12/2017 22:32

Tell the police

ourkidmolly · 27/12/2017 22:33

Report to police and email manager if the whole store.

Original poster
Lostandfoundwoman · 28/12/2017 11:00

I emailed again simply asking what their Lost Property policy is and who gets the stuff if not claimed. They wrote back saying that they coldn’t tell me because of the Data Protection Act.

On principle, i half I feel I will take this further with the police. And then I wonder if life is too short. Mostly I feel sorry for the poor person who dropped it and will seemingly never get it back.

OP posts:
wherethevioletsgrow · 28/12/2017 11:07

OK, can you go back to the store and go to the lost property department in person? Other than that, you could try threatening with police report, but I am not sure whether the police would actually be interested.

Giftdilema · 28/12/2017 11:16

I actually think they are being really dodgy. I worked for a large brand and if not claimed it went back to the finder unless obviously something like a wallet with ID or such.

I would email back and tell them you will be recording the find with your local police station in case someone goes to the station to check it. If they have been dodgy then that should scare them enough.

I can fully believe a staff member might take it after working in retail!

LolaTheDarkdestroyer · 28/12/2017 11:18

Ring the store and say you have lost a. Gold bracelet has one been found? See what the response is.

loobylou10 · 28/12/2017 11:19

Telling you their policy has nothing to do with data protection. Their policies should be transparent and available to all. I would take this further - they are being dodgy.

DGRossetti · 28/12/2017 11:19

Could you get a friend to call the store saying they had lost it, and see what there response is ?

ScreamingValentaMySantaExpress · 28/12/2017 11:21

*“We would not be looking to release the item to yourself.”

Not helpful, but unnecessary reflexive pronouns like that one make me go gaaaaah!

Youcanstayundermyumbrella · 28/12/2017 11:23

Absolutely. I'd expect better from Selfridges.

Original poster
Lostandfoundwoman · 28/12/2017 11:26

I emailed saying I was going to report it to the police and they asked me to let them have the crime ref number. Alternatively, I could go back to the store next week. I thought about phoning up pretending to have lost a gold bracelet but I don’t like the idea of lying (even in a good cause).

I agree that I am not so sure the police would be interested. It’s not crime of the century. I am concerned however that Selfridges don’t seem to take staff dishonesty seriously (or perhaps they have investigated and just can’t tell me?).

I have PILs here today so have other things on but might phone 101 tomorrow and see if they have any advice. If they are not interested then I guess I drop it.

I quite ike the suggestion of emailing the manager of the store - might see if I can find her email address.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lostandfoundwoman · 28/12/2017 11:28

Screaming. Ha, ha, yes. People seem to resort to that kind of impersonal officious (and ungrammatical) language when they are being obfuscatory, or are ashamed of what they are saying.

OP posts:
DGRossetti · 28/12/2017 11:42

“We would not be looking to release the item to yourself.”

Sounds so clunky it must be taken from a(n US ?) handbook somewhere Hmm

"Sir. Sir ! That is not lost property. That is a temporarily owner estranged item."

SullyandMe · 28/12/2017 11:46

Someone phone selfridges and ask for it

It’s clearly been nicked by a staff member

foxyloxy78 · 28/12/2017 11:48

Very dodgy behaviour. Sure they just intend to keep it themselves. What you have asked for has nothing to do with data protection. Call the police. If no one claims it, the bracelet is yours.

TheVeryHungryDieter · 28/12/2017 12:12

The data protection excuse is weird.

You want to know if an item was admitted to Lost Property. There is no identifiable personal data in a yes or no answer. You didn't ask about the owner - and the bracelet is an object and objects don't have personal data!

Even if you wanted to know if the owner had claimed it, a yes or no answer would not again require the release of any personal data of an identifiable person.

It's such an obviously bullshit answer.

Bluntness100 · 28/12/2017 12:18

I agree, phone them or have a friend do so and say you've lost your bracelet, see what they say.

You can always send someone else in to claim it.

On a side note, I lost some jewellery years ago, it was handed into a police station by the theatre I lost it at, by the time I got to the police station they had sold it. No shit they auction off the lost property not claimed. I was flabbergasted when the officer told me it had been sold. I think they kept if for 21 day's or something. Couldn't get my head round the fact the police had my necklace and sold it.

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