Finders + Keepers = Arrest

[Spookyspence]

That type of police work is a waste of time and money. They are more or less creating the crime.

Not to mention this type of stuff screws over the people who would try to do the right thing and check for an ID or some type of info to return it.

Would also assume this would be very easy to get out of in court.

 

[Psicko]

I found a cordless phone out on the street once.

We found a phone on #15 tee at Mt Airy.

I once found a cellphone on the disc golf course.I called the last number that called them, or that they called. They already left the course so i turned it into the disc golf store next to the course and told them I was going to do so, so they wouldnt have to hassle with finding me on the course.

My motto is to do the right thing even when know one is looking. That way you are not taken into custody during a sting operation or talking with that guy on the "to catch a predator" show.

 

[bradharris]

More on the sting.

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20121205/NEWS03/121209585

The guy claims he was going to take it home and try to track down the owner.

Of particular note for discussion here is this line in the article:

State law requires that anyone who finds lost or mislaid property take reasonable steps to find the owner, police Lt. Maureen Tessier said.

"The property left unattended had markings and other indicators that would clearly demonstrate to the finder that it was not abandoned property and that there were steps that person could take to find the property owner," Tessier said.

So by NH law, an attempt must be made to return found property when there is a way to do so (ie, name and number on a disc).

 

[HotPinkBeast]

i am glad the $160 bucks in fresh out of the atm 20's i found folded up on the ground at soldier field sunday wasnt part of a sting...

Not saying you have to do this, but did you think of contacting the venues Customer Service to find out if any one contacted them about losing a large amount of money (not telling them the amount, of course), and then going from there.

 

[Future_Primitive]

Why would it be impossible? If the cops hid it under a picnic table the thieves could still steal it.

I believe what he meant was, if the cops didn't leave it anywhere it would be impossible to commit the crime as there would be nothing there to steal. Just how I read his comment.

 

[HotPinkBeast]

This kinda reminds me of a time when I was at a strip club in OR with a buddy of mine. He went out to smoke a cig and this stripper came up and handed me a wad of $1's. She was like "This was sitting behind you, did it fall out of your pocket?". I figured that it might have so I gave her a few bucks for returning it to me. When I reached in my pocket to put it back, my wad of $1's was still there. I bought a few drinks for me and my buddy, tipped well, and still walked out with more money than I came in with.

First time a strippers ever paid me.

Hey, at least someone tried to to the right thing.

 

[jcrab66]

Not saying you have to do this, but did you think of contacting the venues Customer Service to find out if any one contacted them about losing a large amount of money (not telling them the amount, of course), and then going from there.

no, i definitely did not think of this nor would I...

 

[Jay Dub]

I believe what he meant was, if the cops didn't leave it anywhere it would be impossible to commit the crime as there would be nothing there to steal. Just how I read his comment.

That's not what he said.

"In criminal law, entrapment is conduct by a law enforcement agent inducing a person to commit an offense that the person would otherwise have been unlikely to commit"
this is one definition of "Entrapment" if the things were not left in plain view of the public it would be impossible for the offenders to steal it. My OP was meerly meant as color commentary to the thread. and i feel it is applicable. but all you perry masons out there that want to take my OP seriously feel free to debate for a few pages.

 

[PhillyMatt]

Edit

 

[bradharris]

This is my favorite part of the article

When police pulled him over, they first accused him of making a drug deal, he said.

 

[ru4por]

This is always such a simple issue to me. Right and wrong is not that difficult. If you find something that is not yours, you make every reasonable attempt to get it to the rightful owner. Has nobody seen this episode of the Andy Griffith Show? I see how, doing the right thing, is cloudy to Opie as a 6 year old child, but adults should not be so confused. There are lots of justifications used to explain away failure to do the right thing, but they are just that.

 

[AndyJB]

Kind of a waste of tax payer money, IMO, but it just adds credence to ALWAYS trying to contact someone when you find their discs! I don't think anyone on here would argue that it's the right thing to do...plus they generally give you some sort of sweet reward! Win/win!

 

[smyith]

ENTRAPMENT!!!!!!!

 

[BgWvDave]

you guys really are beating a dead horse. who gives a **** if it fits the true def. of entrapment. it is a ridiculous waste of resources for the ploice in this town to be carrying out this "sting operation"...almost as ridiculous as anyone nit picking my post. keep it up guys. luckily i am easily ammused.

 

[Jay Dub]

So you thought you would had another whack to the dead horse?
Quoting what you said is not nitpicking your post.
Tell us why these stings really piss you off? opcorn:

 

[BgWvDave]

So you thought you would had another whack to the dead horse?
Quoting what you said is not nitpicking your post.
Tell us why these stings really piss you off? opcorn:

lol mad? come on my man. try using a few more emoticons and lets see where this really goes. what type of law do you pratice jay?

 

[bradharris]

you guys really are beating a dead horse. who gives a **** if it fits the true def. of entrapment. it is a ridiculous waste of resources for the ploice in this town to be carrying out this "sting operation"...almost as ridiculous as anyone nit picking my post. keep it up guys. luckily i am easily ammused.

It's definitely a waste of time and resources. Ultimately a judge and maybe even a jury will decide the legal issues.

But this case does exemplify the fact that picking up lost property and keeping it as your own is considered theft if you don't make a reasonable attempt to find the rightful owner.

 

[Jay Dub]

you guys really are beating a dead horse. who gives a **** if it fits the true def. of entrapment. it is a ridiculous waste of resources for the ploice in this town to be carrying out this "sting operation"...almost as ridiculous as anyone nit picking my post. keep it up guys. luckily i am easily ammused.

lol mad? come on my man. try using a few more emoticons and lets see where this really goes. what type of law do you pratice Dave?

FTFY

 

[Future_Primitive]

But this case does exemplify the fact that picking up lost property and keeping it as your own is considered theft if you don't make a reasonable attempt to find the rightful owner.

In a way yes, but until they set up the sting operation with a $10 disc and place it at the bottom of a pond and wait to see who takes the bait, I dont see how it applies here.

 

[bradharris]

In a way yes, but until they set up the sting operation with a $10 disc and place it at the bottom of a pond and wait to see who takes the bait, I dont see how it applies here.

It applies perfectly. Location, perceived value, and the presence of a sting operation do not change the important points. An item was found, it had contact information, the finder took the item rather than attempting to make contact with the original owner.

Whether it's a disc in water or a purse in a parking lot doesn't matter.