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AIBU?

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Original poster

Found money … what should I do !

502 replies

Brighton5555 · 24/02/2022 21:24

Hi so a couple weeks ago I visited my sister and we went around a good few charity shops like we always do when we see each other.

I noticed a lovely patchwork type of quilted blanket that looked like it was hand made ! I paid for it and it’s been still in the carrier bag till this morning as I wanted to wash it first before use

I was checking for any washing instructions on the labels and that’s when I noticed that in one quarter of the blanket it felt different … the more I pressed on that area the more I could almost feel something move so curiously I made a cut and I’ve found money inside

It’s not old notes , it’s uk money and quite a chunk. Most of it in £50 notes and we are talking over £1000, I don’t want to say how many thousands

I don’t know what to do. Go back to the shop? Or keep it

I’m due to go on holiday soon and it would really help with expenses

OP posts:
Ginger1982 · 25/02/2022 08:56

I would have at least contacted the shop and asked if they did had details for the donor. You wouldn't need to say why and if they said no, do what you wish. To not even do this small thing is, to me, wrong.

Portugal88 · 25/02/2022 08:58

I’d have to ask the shop if they could contact the former owner. If not just split the £ with the charity shop & thank my lucky stars!

Chishnfips · 25/02/2022 09:05

Don't believe this happened at all but it makes for a cool story bro.

momls20 · 25/02/2022 09:07

I'd keep it

Onelifeonly · 25/02/2022 09:08

@xxxsuper

'Your actions were definitely wrong, you found someone else's money and kept it, justifying it with 'the world was paying you back' - for a parking fine'

No because my main rationalisation was realising the owner of the £50 note would never be able to locate it again even if I did hand it in to a police station miles away. I'm too cynical about human nature to suppose that any money I'd dropped would have been handed in to think someone would go looking for it in that way. Plus my experience of losing a handbag suggested a lack of joined up thinking/ efficiency on the part of the police in dealing with a relatively minor matter.

I didn't really think the world owed me, that was just a flippant remark to be 'amusing'. Just it happened around the time I'd paid for the fine.

I've obviously triggered something in you and I'm sorry if you have been so short of money you didn't know whether you could afford to eat - that sucks and I haven't experienced that in my life. But I'm not responsible for your life circumstances.

I won't reply to any further comments from you.

PollyPage · 25/02/2022 09:09

People are going to piss themselves when this is in the press and someone seriously suggested calling the police. Lucky its anonymous Grin

Ragwort · 25/02/2022 09:13

Why do posters keep saying the 'charity shop can't contact the owner' ... there are lots of replies clearly stating that the shop may be able to trace the owner if it was gift aided or even if it wasn't, many smaller charity shops (like the one I manage) have a good relationship with their doners and often chat to people bringing in items .... of course the shop may not be able to find the doner .. perhaps the quilt was dumped on the doorstep but it is certainly possible to try.

xxxsuper · 25/02/2022 09:15

I've obviously triggered something in you and I'm sorry if you have been so short of money you didn't know whether you could afford to eat - that sucks and I haven't experienced that in my life. But I'm not responsible for your life circumstances.

Triggered Grin

Nah, I'm not triggered, I just think it's wrong to keep money you find. Yeah, I have had real poor times where £50 made all the difference but I don't need your pity. My point was maybe the person who dropped the money did.

stopringingme · 25/02/2022 09:16

I was in a charity shop the other day and a customer had found a piece of jewellery in a cabinet that she had bought from there and they told her she had bought the item so therefore it was hers.

SummerHouse · 25/02/2022 09:16

I would hand it in to the police. Otherwise it's theft by finding. Regardless of what's legally right, it's not morally right to keep it.

I think they give it to the finder if it goes unclaimed so you could still get it legitimately.

Gazelda · 25/02/2022 09:19

@Ragwort

Why do posters keep saying the 'charity shop can't contact the owner' ... there are lots of replies clearly stating that the shop may be able to trace the owner if it was gift aided or even if it wasn't, many smaller charity shops (like the one I manage) have a good relationship with their doners and often chat to people bringing in items .... of course the shop may not be able to find the doner .. perhaps the quilt was dumped on the doorstep but it is certainly possible to try.
Absolutely this. The charity shop I am involved with has a fabulous relationship with the local community and knows many of its donors exceptionally well. They also have a good gift aid system, so would be able to trace the donor if it had been given within the gift aid system (which all team members are expected to actively encourage). The manager of the shop is honest as the day is long. She works for less than commercial salary because she cares deeply about the charity. I'd trust the volunteers with my bank details because they do their role because they care about the charity and are good people.
xxxsuper · 25/02/2022 09:25

Why do posters keep saying the 'charity shop can't contact the owner' ... there are lots of replies clearly stating that the shop may be able to trace the owner

I think to try and justify their lack of morals. The correct thing to do is hand the money to the police and notify the shop so if the owner comes forward the shop can tell them to contact the police. It's shocking to see how many people would simply keep it without a second thought.

xxxsuper · 25/02/2022 09:27

@PollyPage

People are going to piss themselves when this is in the press and someone seriously suggested calling the police. Lucky its anonymous Grin

Why? The police have a specific lost property procedure, that's what you are supposed to do with something you find.

KosherDill · 25/02/2022 09:30

@stopringingme

I was in a charity shop the other day and a customer had found a piece of jewellery in a cabinet that she had bought from there and they told her she had bought the item so therefore it was hers.

Yes, with secondhand goods one buys "as found." For better or worse.

recklessgran · 25/02/2022 09:32

if you're going to keep it OP why not do a few random acts of kindness - spread the love a bit? e.g. Give £50 to the first old person you see on your travels today, pay for the shopping of the person in front of you at the supermarket checkout or the petrol station, hide an envelope containing £20 inside a library book, pay for the meal of an adjacent table in a cafe etc. I fantasize about being able to do this and brighten up some stranger's day!

xxxsuper · 25/02/2022 09:36

Give £50 to the first old person you see on your travels today,

Because all old people are poor?

wannadisc0 · 25/02/2022 09:37

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

HeckyPeck · 25/02/2022 09:45

@redlabeltea

I'm really shocked how many people are saying they just couldn't live with themselves if they kept it, even if they had made all reasonable efforts to track down the owner. I don't know anyone in real life who would feel that guilty about it that they wouldn't keep any of it.
I wouldn't feel guilty if I'd made the effort to track down the owner, but the OP isn't even trying. They are just keeping the money. I wouldn't be able to do that without feeling guilty.
Chronicallymothering · 25/02/2022 09:46

It will be from the house clearance by relatives of a deceased family member. When we cleared by late FIL house we found 1500 in cash between 2 towels in the airing cupboard- we think it was his beer money stash. Had we been working faster it might have ended up at a charity shop.

I hope you clean up the blanket and think of the owner and their gift to you often.

saleorbouy · 25/02/2022 09:47

I doubt the person who donated the item will be traced and they won't be the owner of the £ as otherwise they wouldn't have gifted it to the shop. I would go 50/50. Enjoy your share and donate the other to a charity you support. I'm sure the Red Cross will be having a collection for the displaced from the Ukraine conflict.

MissMaple82 · 25/02/2022 09:49

Absolutely do not keep ot as some are suggesting. That is normally wrong. Be honest amd take it back to the charity shop. The owner may well go back asking if it had been handed in. The shop will keep it for a period of time before putting it towards the charity. I would not be able to live with myself, this is a large sum of money that is obviously a mistake

DisciplineYourKids4069 · 25/02/2022 09:51

Keep it, finders keepers

TheVolturi · 25/02/2022 10:02

I volunteer a charity shop and we have this dilemma when pricing things. We get jewellery and alsorts given us and don't have the time to price everything accurately by doing research, so we sell it all cheaply because it cost us nothing. If this happened to us we'd definitely say to the person keep it, you bought it, it turned out it was worth more than you thought, enjoy your good luck!

fghjk · 25/02/2022 10:28

How can it be theft by finding when it's been bought? Presumably the owner of the blanket has a receipt.

If I buy a house and 5 years later find a lost Da Vinci in the attic, that's not theft by finding is it? That's "my house and its contents was worth significantly more than I paid for it, how lucky am I?"

Similarly if I buy a piece of art only to find out it's a lost Da Vinci, it's not theft by finding either.

The OP bought a blanket someone else didn't want. They didn't even think it was valuable enough to sell themselves so they gave it away. It would be more than a bit cheeky to somehow decide they want it back now someone else (the rightful owner!!!) has realised it actually had a value.

I would not feel a single ounce of guilt over keeping it and I'm someone who HAS previously handed money in to a police station because "what if it belonged to a poor person who now can't afford to eat" thoughts would niggle away at me if I didn't. I'm not scummy at all (as some pps have said). I just think if you buy something, it's yours. If you sell something or give it away then you have to deal with the consequences of no longer owning that item.

HollowTalk · 25/02/2022 10:30

Why are you telling people on here where you found it? You know at least one person will be phoning every charity shop saying it belongs to them.