Found £300 on supermarket floor

[Helpmegod]

Hi all . I found 300 pounds in the supermarket floor and immediately took it yo the customer services section where when I reported it the assistant said thank you ( indicating I should leave and he would do the rest ). However when I questioned what would be the next steps and when another colleague of his got interested in the matter he called over a security lady ( she had a phone thing in her hand ) ,and she logged it in the Lost and Found book and said that they would hold it for 12 weeks after which it would go to the police . She said I could go yo the police after 12 weeks to know the outcome .
I would never ever go anywhere near a police station but I would be keen to know what happened as I told her that if it is not claimed I would like it yo go yo a charity . She said this is normally the case that the supermarket would then ask the police for it to go into a charity .
Any suggestions if this is the right protocol ?
Thank you

Not quite sure what you're saying; did you initially feel there might be something dodgy going on?
It does sound odt that the guy tried to send you away without you witnessing what he was going to do with the money.
I think I'd phone and ask a manager what the normal protocol is in this situation.

Ooi, why do you say you'd 'never ever go near a police station?'

It's heartening to know that there are good people like you around. I'm sure that whoever owns the ££s would discover the loss fairly quickly and be delighted to hear that it had been found and handed in. It's good that they logged the fact that you found it and I do hope they took your contact details so that the owner will be able to tell you how much they appreciate your honesty.

I don't know if the 12-week period is usual for money found on retail premises, but I believe that if money is handed in at a police station and remains unclaimed after a specified period it is given to the finder.

Not sure why you'd be reluctant to go to a police station, by the way - I've had to do it on a few occasions (not helping them with their enquiries!) and found it to be a completely un-threatening place.

Happy Christmas!

I know if I ever leave a credit card the protocol is to send it back to the bank asap so I'm surprised they would hold onto the money for 12 weeks - I would have thought 48 hours tops & then hand into the police.

Thanks for your replies

Optimist , so should I go to the police station after 12 weeks you reckon ?
If you guys say that it is unthreatening I will give it a go .
I did read somewhere that the money is legally mine if nobody claims it .
Not that I plan to use it on myself , will probably give it to a charity but I just want it be sure that it goes to the right place .Thanks
Merry Xmas

What the hell do you think will happen if you go to the police station??

I took £60 I'd found in the street to a police station (about 18 years ago as DS1 was a baby).

The officer on duty was that I'd brought the cash in as apparently it's a very rare occurance. She filled in a form whilst I felt a bit of a tit, but it was in no way an intimidating or unpleasant experience.
Hth.
I did get the money later but it just went into the general
pot and I didn't do anything special with it; I kind of wished I'd just spent it and ignored the jealous friend who said 'aren't you going to hand it in? I would. Then went on to make a fraudulent insurance claim.

the law is normally 30 days, not three months
go back to the shop and get the reference number
visiting police stations during the mid morning is fine - they are usually very bored so will be very helpful

Why on earth wouldn't you go anywhere near a police station?

And if the money is unclaimed, why wouldn't you want to keep it? After a certain length of time it's rightfully yours. I would go to the police station tomorrow and tell them what happened in the shop- it does sound a little odd.

curlew
Why on earth wouldn't you go anywhere near a police station?
I can think of several reasons why certain groups of people would really rather not darken their door

Well, I'm sort of assuming that the OP isn't a wanted criminal!

curlew
There are many immigrant communities who have had appalling relations with the police over the years and so try to avoid contact.
Also people who are here utterly legally but have come from countries with dodgy police
or a group of my old friends who will never trust the police again after the events of June 1985 in Savernacke - and their children who are adults now

True. I humbly apologize for assuming that the OP fits the normal Mumsnet demographic.

Curlew
The funny thing is that I know of several ex Beanfield people on MN : white, middle class, British, well educated, now in their early 50s, grown up children
but what we saw our friends put through that day has coloured our view of the police for the rest of our lives.
That and what I experienced in the 80's with flying squad police coming to fight flying pickets at the Dover Dock strike .....

the "reminiscence bump" ( very useful for re contacting dementia riddled parents ) affects your life view

on the other hand OP If nobody claims it, that money is yours to do as you wont.

My dad was a political exile from a totalitarian state & a leftie - we were brought up with a lot of mistrust for the police, although I am very white middle class.

Only on Mumsnet!

I won't go into my history of arrests for demonstrations and picketing in my wild youth? But it wouldn't stop me taking a bundle of lost money to the police station...............

op can you check your inbox please

thanks for your message helpme - I have sent a reply