Found money … what should I do !

[Brighton5555]

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

I wonder what the value of the money was when it was still legal tender compared to it's face value today. Well, ok, the same, but my point is what was, say, 100 pounds worth back when the money was legal tender.

Was the money from the 1970's ? 1980's ?

It’s not old notes according to the OP.

As per the law offence wording for theft I would make reasonable steps to locate the rightful owner and then keep it.

I couldn't live with myself unless I tried to each the owner. I would call the charity shop and say I found a small sum like 100 quid in the blanket. That would help find out if they could trace the owner. They could put a note in the window. If they don't find the owner give them the 100 quid.

@ToffeeNotCoffee

The money is still not old.

It's a crime, called theft by finding, as others have pointed out.

https://metro.co.uk/2017/02/28/when-are-you-legally-allowed-to-keep-money-you-find-on-the-floor-6479579/amp/

This article does discuss money found in a shop, by the way.

I'm no angel, but I couldn't live with not reporting this to the police. It isn't your money. Somebody might need their money back. If they don't claim it from the police, you get to claim it 28 days later.

Or they might just want their money back. Hell, why make it a matter of urgency? It's their money and they have the right not to be deprived of it.

Wow. Just wow. So don’t worry about the elderly lady who hid her life’s savings and now can’t find it anywhere - as long as you have a better seat on the plane to your holiday (you’re not struggling for money that much then…), that’s OK then.
I sincerely hope that neither the OP, or anyone else who said “keep it” has ever judged anyone else in life, or complained about the current state of our country etc etc, if they actually can’t see that this is exactly that - morally wrong, sod everyone else as long as I’m ok.
Unless the ‘donation’ you made was 100% of the money then that is not something to be proud of, sorry.

We don’t know it’s a old lady. We don’t know who put it in there when they did or why. The charity shop didn’t bother to check it and sold it to me. As soon as I had a feel around the blanket looking for the wash label I could feel something inside but I didn’t know what … surely the charity shop are supposed to check items even for quality ?

I can’t and won’t feel guilt because I don’t even know where it originates from

@tartanbaker Why would an old woman who kept her money in a blanket then donate that blanket to the charity shop? If she was so infirm that she couldn't remember where she was keeping her money, would she really be in a position to donate it?

This is almost certainly a house clearance situation where someone died, their things were donated and no-one checked for any hidden money.

OP I would have asked the charity shop if anyone had asked about missing money, and if not I'd have put it aside for a year, waited to see if they contacted me, and then spent it.

Taking advantage of someone else’s mistake and misfortune with no thought of helping them or trying to put it right……
Shame on you.

I don't think the OP should bother the police or try and trace what I'm assuming is a deceased persons blanket (Ive heard things like this were really common)
OP if you are financially well off and this won't make a difference to you then you probably should give it to someone else as £1000 can change peoples lives.
If you are not and this is a big chunk to you then of course you keep it and if you have children you treat yourselves to a holiday or something to really make all of you happy, a gift from an angel.

If I was you I'd keep it but donate some of it to the charity the shop is there for or a charity close to my heart.

I can follow your thought pattern to keep the money as it is no more anyone else's than yours. I disagree with keeping it, but that doesn't mean you're wrong.

But it feels quite 'off' that

• you've deposited it into your bank so quickly without making any attempt to trace the original owner.
• That you've used a proportion of it to upgrade flights which will be a distant memory in a few months. Why couldn't you have bought a new sofa or garden furniture or fabulous coat with the windfall rather than fritter it?
• that you feel no guilt or doubts as to whether you've taken the moral action.

maybe it's drug/dirty money. The quilt is a good disguise.

The person who danated it was a wealthy 42 yr old man whose teenager had been given it as a Christmas present.

The money was intended as a test to see if the teenager would actually thank the present-giver this year.

The teenager just said 'Yuk, bin it' so it went to the charity shop

Threads like these really give the armchair holier than thou section of Mumsnet somewhere to come and smug it up.

Just listened to You & Yours and realised that my fish jug is a guggle jug

Got it in a charity shop for £1. Had no idea it was trendy

I used a small amount to upgrade seats , on top of making two donations. The rest I’m keeping in my bank.

It doesn’t make me a bad person ! Grow up

It is technically theft by finding but I would probably keep it anyway in this instance. Perhaps a donation to the charity shop to ease my discomfort

@tartanbaker

Wow. Just wow. So don’t worry about the elderly lady who hid her life’s savings and now can’t find it anywhere - as long as you have a better seat on the plane to your holiday (you’re not struggling for money that much then…), that’s OK then. I sincerely hope that neither the OP, or anyone else who said “keep it” has ever judged anyone else in life, or complained about the current state of our country etc etc, if they actually can’t see that this is exactly that - morally wrong, sod everyone else as long as I’m ok. Unless the ‘donation’ you made was 100% of the money then that is not something to be proud of, sorry.

How do you know it was a little old lady's life savings?! On the basis that tracing the donator is more or less impossible I would keep the money and enjoy it. I think most people would tbh (maybe not on mn but in the real world)

Yup, you keep trying to convince yourself you’re doing the right thing….

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz, i think it's a joke thread to provoke the MN moral high ground

The charity shop will have absolutely no way of contacting the owner. I donate things regularly and they never have any clue what is donated by who. Its all emptied into a big room and sorted through.

Keep it, you've done nothing wrong. I've heard of similar stories and the people have always kept it.

Now on my way to a charity shop, going to be feeling all the quilts

Glad you put it in the bank. Enjoy it!

Really CBA with those taking to the keyboard to say “oh id have taken it back/called the police”. Not many believe you, i am one doesn’t.

You should contact the charity shop and ask them to try to locate the owner. If they can't, then the money is yours.

Read this:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-39130530