Do the police return found items to you that youve turned into them after 90 days?

[dirtyJohn]

Do the police return found items to you that you've turned into them after 90 days?

I've heard people says to turn in marked jewelry that you've found to the police and after 90 days if no one claims it that they will turn it back over to you. Has anyone had this experience? Twice in my life I have brought found items to the police and after 90 days called them only to have them tell me they had no record of me turning in anything (once it was a nice watch and the other was a ring. Both found at the beach). It has soured me from turning anything into them. I think they just keep those items themselves. This doesn't apply to every Police officer but I think it's common in a lot of areas.
Your opinion?

HH
John

 

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[Red James Cash]

Do the police return found items to you that you've turned into them after 90 days?

Only if one of them doesnt take a fancy to what you turned in.

 

[G.I.B.]

Each jurisdiction is different. You should have received a receipt for the item when you turned it in. (it's an evidence form, most of them even have a place for you to sign it) and you should have had a picture of the item.

Without a receipt it's like walking into any other business without documentation.

Depending on the size of the department- most of the unclaimed stuff ends up in a public auction.

 

[dirtyJohn]

This happened to me in the early 90's so maybe they do things different now but no receipt was given. They took my info down and said to check in after 90 days but that was it. Then they denied it when the 90 days was up. Haven't brought anything back to them since and don't think I will.
HH
John

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Dirty John, I LOVE your question ! There was a long post on this topic years ago, that brought out lots of interesting nuances.

For starters, G.I.B. is right: You can simply solve the problem of them knowing anything about your item, by simply getting a receipt. HOWEVER, that doesn't solve other problems. Namely, this scenario:

You walk back in 90 days later, to pick up your item if no one's claimed it. So the md'r asks "who claimed it?". They tell you "sorry, that's confidential d/t privacy laws". So the md'r is left without so much as a "thankyou" or "no thankyou" or "kiss-my-*ss" for his efforts, eh ? But sure, you are filled with joy that you "did the right thing by keeping the state's lost & found laws", right ?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Regarding what Red James Cash says (hinting that the police desk clerk kept it for themselves, etc...) , then you would have absolutely no way to prove or disprove that, if they said that privacy laws forbid them from telling you who came in to claim that.

And while I know this sounds DASTARDLY that ANY sworn officer would ever *think* to stoop that low, I'm not so sure this is that "dastardly" and "low", in-their-eyes.

Because think of it: You only "found" it. It's not "yours". You turned it in with full expectation of the possibility that someone might claim it. So since it was never yours in the first, place HOW HAVE YOU BEEN HARMED ?

Or they could do something like this: Call their cousin Bob, on the 89th day, and say "Hey Bob, do you want a nice Rolex watch ? Come down to the department and claim a watch with the following features, that you lost at such & such beach, on such and such day". Then the paper trail is impeccable.

I have often debated doing the following test: Taking MY OWN wedding ring down to turn in as lost and found. Then going back 90 days later, to see if anyone came in to describe and claim it.

 

[Doubter in MD]

If I find something that can be returned I return it. I recently found a wallet and most of its contents strewn all over an entrance ramp onto I-95. I pulled over and gathered everything I could find. There was some cash, a couple of credit cards, pictures, and a license. I contacted the owner and gave back everything I found.

About 20 years ago I found another wallet with nothing but money in it while hiking in a State Park. It had $375.00 in it. I gave the Park Ranger my contact information and told them that if anyone came in looking for a lost wallet I'd be happy to return it if they could describe it and tell me what the contents were. This seemed to satisfy the Park Ranger. I'm not sure how the police would feel about it.

And no one ever did claim the wallet.

 

[dirtyJohn]

Regarding what Red James Cash says (hinting that the police desk clerk kept it for themselves, etc...) , then you would have absolutely no way to prove or disprove that, if they said that privacy laws forbid them from telling you who came in to claim that.

And while I know this sounds DASTARDLY that ANY sworn officer would ever *think* to stoop that low, I'm not so sure this is that "dastardly" and "low", in-their-eyes.

Because think of it: You only "found" it. It's not "yours". You turned it in with full expectation of the possibility that someone might claim it. So since it was never yours in the first, place HOW HAVE YOU BEEN HARMED ?

Or they could do something like this: Call their cousin Bob, on the 89th day, and say "Hey Bob, do you want a nice Rolex watch ? Come down to the department and claim a watch with the following features, that you lost at such & such beach, on such and such day". Then the paper trail is impeccable.

I have often debated doing the following test: Taking MY OWN wedding ring down to turn in as lost and found. Then going back 90 days later, to see if anyone came in to describe and claim it.

That would be a great test. It would probably pi$$ them off big time though.

I would really like to be able to return something that I found if I could, especially if it was valuable. I have lost important things to me in the past and would have liked them returned to me.

I heard sometimes the police scour the the craigslist lost and found section and contact people there that found something and threaten them if they don't turn it over at the local PD. A pretty disgusting way to treat people that are trying to do the right thing.

I don't blame anyone for not turning found items into the Police when they're so unaccountable, although I think they should make some effort to locate the person who lost it if it's possible to do that. It's the right thing to do.
HH
John

 

[Doubter in MD]

I heard sometimes the police scour the the craigslist lost and found section and contact people there that found something and threaten them if they don't turn it over at the local PD. A pretty disgusting way to treat people that are trying to do the right thing.

Do you have any sources for this claim? I tried to google it but came up empty. If true,I agree. It is despicable.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.....I heard sometimes the police scour the the craigslist lost and found section and contact people there that found something and threaten them if they don't turn it over at the local PD. A pretty disgusting way to treat people that are trying to do the right thing....

Huh? But the "right thing" to do in this case (if you're talking about the law) IS to turn it in to the police dept. So .... how can that be "disgusting" for the police to do ?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Do you have any sources for this claim? I tried to google it but came up empty. If true,I agree. It is despicable.

It happened to me. But .... well ... with a little bit different flavor. I had posted a "found" ad, for a pair of prescription glasses I'd found on the beach. Because:

a) they looked freshly lost, and ...

b) heck, they're of no use to anyone except the person who lost them

c) I could tell they were "higher end" type fancy prescription frames, that .... probably cost the poor fellow a penny or two, and ...

d) I figured maybe there'd be a nice tip (although I wouldn't have asked for it).

So I posted them as: "found on such & such beach with metal detector. Email to describe ..."

The next day, I got an email in my inbox. It was from the police dept. in that small ocean side's town !

From there ..... the story took several turns and twists. But ... the bottom line was, when it was all over with, the cop did say that

".... In the future, you are to turn all items you find on the beach here, to the police dept, SO AS TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW....".

It went on to say that if the dept. is closed after-hours, that I was to "put the items through the deposit slot on the door way of the front door to the lobby".

So at first I'm thinking "what the heck is this person talking about when they say "... to be in complaince with law" ? That's what got me sleuthing around, called a lawyer friend, did extensive research, and came to figure out that ALL OF US MD'RS are blatant law-breakers.

Ok now, who here is going to start rushing to the police dept each time they find something now ?

 

[dirtyJohn]

Huh? But the "right thing" to do in this case (if you're talking about the law) IS to turn it in to the police dept. So .... how can that be "disgusting" for the police to do ?

I know you're being facetious but for someone that may not get it, these people that I'm talking about on craigslist are already trying to find the owner by posting a found ad with their contact info. The police call the people up and harass them like they commited a crime when in fact they are trying to do they right thing but cutting out the middle man (the Police). That's why the police are angry (I suspect). I can't remember where I read about this but I know I did read about this happening before. I will try to find the thread or article about this and post a link.
HH
John

 

[dirtyJohn]

Do you have any sources for this claim? I tried to google it but came up empty. If true,I agree. It is despicable.

Just to make myself clear, when I say threaten them I mean through legal recourse not anything illegal. I will post a link if I can find the article or thread that I read about this on if I can find it (It's been awhile).
HH
John

 

[cudamark]

I've heard people says to turn in marked jewelry that you've found to the police and after 90 days if no one claims it that they will turn it back over to you. Has anyone had this experience? Twice in my life I have brought found items to the police and after 90 days called them only to have them tell me they had no record of me turning in anything (once it was a nice watch and the other was a ring. Both found at the beach). It has soured me from turning anything into them. I think they just keep those items themselves. This doesn't apply to every Police officer but I think it's common in a lot of areas.
Your opinion?

HH
John

I'd only give them stuff I never want to see again. I had a friend turn in a nice ring. It was inscribed and he kept a photo of it. After the waiting period he went back to the station to pick it up but was told that it had been claimed. As Tom mentioned, they wouldn't give out any info on who claimed it for security reasons. A few months later, we were at the police auction and guess what we saw in the display case? Yup, same exact ring.....inscription and all. If coarse they denied it. Said my friend must be trying to scam them. Needless to say, we NEVER bring them anything of resale value anymore. They don't actively try to find the person who lost the item anyway. The stuff just sits in the property room collecting dust.

 

[Mi bum]

It go to say if it's has any value you might as well kiss it good by.

 

[Rustynailsandscrews]

In my area the law says you should, but I don't think the cops or citizens in my state really care about it, unless it's something really valuable ! Years ago, I found a $100.00 bill while I was metal detecting. It was probably drug money as it was wet and soaked and in a park which is a seedy type of area. It had been raining the night before. Sure I turned it into the cops! God wanted me to find that $100.00 as I was there in the right place at the right time. If God wanted the cops to find it, they would have before me and the cop would have put it in his pocket! When is the last time you have heard of someone being arrested for not turning a valuable find ?

 

[Rustynailsandscrews]

I've heard people says to turn in marked jewelry that you've found to the police and after 90 days if no one claims it that they will turn it back over to you. Has anyone had this experience? Twice in my life I have brought found items to the police and after 90 days called them only to have them tell me they had no record of me turning in anything (once it was a nice watch and the other was a ring. Both found at the beach). It has soured me from turning anything into them. I think they just keep those items themselves. This doesn't apply to every Police officer but I think it's common in a lot of areas.
Your opinion?

HH
John

Dirty John is toooooo honest !!!!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I'd only give them stuff I never want to see again. I had a friend turn in a nice ring. It was inscribed and he kept a photo of it. After the waiting period he went back to the station to pick it up but was told that it had been claimed. As Tom mentioned, they wouldn't give out any info on who claimed it for security reasons. A few months later, we were at the police auction and guess what we saw in the display case? Yup, same exact ring.....inscription and all. If coarse they denied it. Said my friend must be trying to scam them. Needless to say, we NEVER bring them anything of resale value anymore. They don't actively try to find the person who lost the item anyway. The stuff just sits in the property room collecting dust.

Very interesting story. I'd say there *might* not have been any malice in that train of events. Because I think that police front desk clerks often give "pat answers" to deflect persons. Because they .... no doubt .... get bombarded all day long with wierdos, gripers, lame excuses, drama, etc.... So when something as innocuous as this comes up, how easy is it to say "it got claimed, now go away" ? And while that seems dastardly to you, THINK OF IT : It was never yours to begin with. You only "found" it. So how have you been harmed ? YOU HAVEN'T.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

In my area the law says you should, but I don't think the cops or citizens in my state really care about it,...

You don't think they care ? You're in Albany NY, right ? Ok, if I call the city lawyer, or head of police there, and have the lost & found codes there to cite/show them. And then I follow that up with: "Does Rustynailsandscrews need to turn a gold ring worth $250+, if he were to find it ?". What do you think they would say ? They would say "Yes, he needs to turn it in". Hence they DO "care".

Thus do the right thing. And rush to the police station next time you find a gold ring

 

[Rustynailsandscrews]

You don't think they care ? You're in Albany NY, right ? Ok, if I call the city lawyer, or head of police there, and have the lost & found codes there to cite/show them. And then I follow that up with: "Does Rustynailsandscrews need to turn a gold ring worth $250+, if he were to find it ?". What do you think they would say ? They would say "Yes, he needs to turn it in". Hence they DO "care".

Thus do the right thing. And rush to the police station next time you find a gold ring

OK, from now on, I promise! Will I get a speeding ticket for rushing there ? The speeding ticket to get there will cost more then the ring was worth !!!
Ring in my pocket is pure profit. Hmm, now I'm wondering what to do ?