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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I found some money...

205 replies

cooksomeeggs · 09/04/2019 07:32

We are currently on holiday, arrived yesterday. Had to make up the beds and when I pulled the mattress up, I found an envelope with £175 in it. On the front of the envelope it had a woman's name on it.
Obviously someone has left this behind and I would have been devastated if I had lost that amount of money. My husband and I agree that if we handed it in (to the complex/police), it probably wouldn't reach the owner. Would I be unreasonable to give the money to my friend who is raising money to support a charity?

OP posts:
MrsSeanBakedBean · 09/04/2019 13:23

Hand it into a local police station. Tell the holiday complex that's what you've done. Don't give it to a random person at the holiday complex or THEY might keep it if dishonest.
If the rightful owner hasn't claimed within a certain period I believe money will be returned to you as the person who found it. (Although can't remember if that is the case with cash.)

I know it is for property as I once found a very £££ item in a changing room. Rather than hand into the shop I handed in to the nearest police station and notified the shop where the item had been taken in case anyone came looking. I was worried the shop staff might just have kept said item.

Gravelface · 09/04/2019 13:42

Brilliant. "I've found some money and worry that it may get stolen if I hand it in. AIBU to steal it myself?"

Original poster
cooksomeeggs · 09/04/2019 13:54

@gravelface I handed it in. I thought about passing the money onto a charity briefly.

OP posts:
Gravelface · 09/04/2019 13:59

Only joshing with you @cooksomeeggs, good on you 😊

Original poster
cooksomeeggs · 09/04/2019 14:03

Sorry @gravelface sense of humour bypass here due to serious lack of sleep from 1yo loas night!!

OP posts:
NorthernRunner · 09/04/2019 14:12

You are better than I am, I’m afraid I may have kept it. Blush

Pinkyyy · 09/04/2019 15:06

I'd keep it.

LouH1981 · 10/04/2019 17:33

You have to hand it in. I am a criminal defence solicitor and there is an offence of theft by finding. Whilst your intentions of donating to charity is commendable, you will be committing an offence if you don’t xxx

Teacher22 · 10/04/2019 17:35

Hand the money in to the police. You can tell the owner you have done this so she can contact the woman.

Grumpelstilskin · 10/04/2019 17:59

Deffo agree with a few posters that money in an envelope under the bed with only a first name on it, suggests that it might have been payment for an escort. In which case, the name on the envelope may not tally up with the name under which the room was booked and likely to be the ‘horizontal stage name’

RoisinXena · 10/04/2019 18:05

Yes you must hand it in. Retaining it would be theft by finding.

NunoGoncalves · 10/04/2019 18:07

Why would you assume the "complex" (does that mean hotel?) staff would keep it rather than checking with the recent other occupants of the room? Are you always so suspicious?

fruitbrewhaha · 10/04/2019 18:09

It's probably the cleaners wages. Fell out of her apron when doing the beds.

NunoGoncalves · 10/04/2019 18:11

NorthernRunner
You are better than I am, I’m afraid I may have kept it

Pinkyyy
I'd keep it

Guys come on, that's not cool! Imagine if it was yours how happy you'd feel if you called the hotel and they said yes, somebody found it and handed it in.

regmover · 10/04/2019 18:12

Op - "I've handed it in"

lindyloo57 · 10/04/2019 18:20

I would take to the police, at least you know they will try and get to the owner, if you give to the complex you just don't know.

NunoGoncalves · 10/04/2019 18:22

I would take to the police, at least you know they will try and get to the owner, if you give to the complex you just don't know.

That depends what country you're holidaying in. There are some places I'd trust the hotel staff much more than the police!

ShinyMe · 10/04/2019 18:23

I'm amazed that it took to page 6 for someone @fruitbrewhaha to point out it's the cleaner's wages! She's been paid in cash, hence the envelope with the name, put it in her pocket and done her shift, and it's fallen out when she did the beds.

I once, to my shame, found a very similar envelope with cash in, and kept it. I was a poor student at the time and had just had a big electricity bill. I felt guilty about it for ages and ages, and ended up giving double the amount to a women's refuge charity to help stave off the guilt. It was 25 years ago, and I still sometimes think about it, and wonder whether someone really struggled terribly because of not getting her pay that week. I would never ever do that again.

ShowMeTheKittens · 10/04/2019 18:26

It's not theft. Its lost property of course. The Police view it that way. But I would try to find the owner.

Wineallthetime · 10/04/2019 18:27

This happened to me sort of! I was 10 and it was £50 Note! My grandad was a copper so mum made me hand it in. I had to fill in a form and after it wasn’t claimed they gave it to me! Felt like winning the lottery at 10! 🤣

RomanyQueen1 · 10/04/2019 18:30

I wouldn't hand it in to the Police, biggest load of rogues there are.
It will go to the xmas doo, or Ball Grin
I'd try and find out who the person was or donate to charity.

driftingcloud · 10/04/2019 18:39

Is the complex on fb? If so, post the name on the envelope and say you found something belonging to her. If the person contacts you ask them to explain the contents and if they can, arrange to return it.

NunoGoncalves · 10/04/2019 18:40

It seems that nobody in this world can be trusted, so here's what I'd do:

  1. Find a nearby hardware store, outdoor activities shop and pharmacy to buy in some some rope, black spray paint, a balaclava and some hairpins. Wait til the early hours of the morning and use the hairpins to break into the hotel's admin office and check the staff records for any cleaners with the same first name. Spray cameras with paint, if there are any. Wear balaclava, obviously. The rope is just in case.

  2. If no names match, hack into the computer system to check for previous guests with the same name (note, this may require some computer skills, try googling "how to hack into hotel computers")

  3. If you still have no luck, ask locals about any prostitutes or brothels in the area, and try to find a sex worker of the same name.

  4. If this all fails, consider founding a website called lostandfound.com (might be taken - you should probably check that first) where things they people have either lost or found can be held in escrow by the only trustworthy person in the world (you) and returned to their rightful owners.

NunoGoncalves · 10/04/2019 18:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Riversguidebook · 10/04/2019 18:56

Ask if one of the chambermaids is called that name, maybe it was a gift for her to find by surprise !