My treasure hunting has exceeded the limits of finders keepers (I think) HELP!

[nuggetmann]

Okay. So so here is the story. Yesterday I went diving and I found a few more items that really are over the top. First, I found an urn. It has human remains in it (I assume they are human). The bottom of the urn has a hole smashed through it. That's about it with that one.



Next we have a suitcase that I'm pretty sure is for bowling. It had two bowling balls in it and some bowling shoes. No idea why that would be the bottom of the river except for maybe it was stolen and once they knew that they had nothing of value, they just threw it in the river.



The last find of the day is the big one. It was a car phone bag from the 90's. Remember the one's that looked like a real phone? Well besides the remains of the phone, this bag was packed solid with jewelry. Everything from bracelets to necklaces to old military pins.



So my question is do I call the police for any of this. I'm thinking so but I'm curious if any of you know laws about finding stuff in the bottom of the river. Is it like metal detecting on the beach. You get to keep what you dig up type thing? Let me know. thanks.

 

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[Kace]

Can you date anything? Was there a name engraved on the bowling balls or someplace on the URN? Can you read the serial number on the bag phone?

I'd say a robbery..just a guess.

Kace

 

[treasuresalvor]

Could have been a robbery or a single guys last wishes to have him and his belongings chucked into the river by his bowling buddies. Going to the cops isn't going to accomplish anything. I say nice score!

 

[Tiredman]

Probably just ended up in the same area due to currents.

 

[lairmo]

So there was a CSA plate in the bag and nothing else of value by the looks of it? That's really weird...good recovery.

 

[DiamondDan]

What, exactly, do you expect the police to do?

"Here's you medal for being a vigilant citizen, sir. We'll get the crime lab on this right away! The owners of this flower pot, costume jewelry and bowling balls will grieve no longer!"

 

[cudamark]

It could help solve a cold case. I'd turn it in. Chances are, if it's not part of a crime, nobody is going to claim it anyway, so. you'll end up with it again eventually.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

There are lost & found laws in all 50 states. Typically with a value cut-off of something like $50 to $100 value. Beyond which a person finding property (wandering cattle, etc....) is supposed to turn it in to the police for proper lost & found procedures. And if no one claims it within 30 days, you can go in to retrieve it . Once you've paid the storage fees, the publication costs of the L&F ad they ran in the local paper, etc....

But I'll make it simple for you: Just send me all your finds (you pay postage), and I will absolve your conscience of all guilt ! It's the least I can do for a fine fellow hobbyist such as yourself

 

[Icewing]

Send me that CSA thing and I'll try to track down the original owner for you.

 

[Holyground]

Seems like a bowling team got washed over the bridge in a horrible storm as they were on their way to scatter the ashes of their beloved team captain. SOLVED!

 

[longtimedad]

looks like a car crash if road nearby or boating accident or trash dumping. The urn is probably not human remains as they seal the lid (you can check to see) but this looks like a lot of garage sale level stuff. IF there is nothing of higher value or family heirloom type stuff. I wouldn't worry about reporting it. I had a 1930s-40s 35 ft cab cruiser wash up after a 3 day storm. it was sunk and resurfaced and got caught in a sand bar bay at a wash at a mouth of a lake. It was cool and creepy to climb through as it was floating perfectly. but everything was coated in zebra muscles and some seaweed. the paint was almost all blistered off and the wood soggy. I took a set of 3 brass cups off of it. and Reported it to the local law. the cops looked at it and said they'll make a note of it in there report but it was so old if it was important or had any value it was long since resolved. … you'll probably waste your time reporting it and possibly have to fill out paperwork and pay a small fee if you get a Dudley do-Right kinda cop.

 

[longtimedad]

IF you do think that urn has human remains you could turn that in... might be a file on it as some have serial numbers.

 

[longtimedad]

Actually it doesn't look like an actual urn. more like 1980s oriental style decorative art. it might still have a pottery mark on the bottom of it.

 

[Bayoutalker]

If there are remains in the urn just put it back where you found it. What else would you do with it? The rest of the stuff, keep the good and trash the rest. If there is no identifying info it won't be of use to anyone.

 

[A2coins]

Wife got tired of her husband bowling all the time tossed him his bowling stuff and all the jewelry he bought her over the years and gave it all the deep six

 

[Red James Cash]

If there was a phone from the 90s in the case and it was from a burglery,robbery,the statute of limitations is obviously over.The cops wont bother looking into it.

 

[cyberdan]

Actually it doesn't look like an actual urn. more like 1980s oriental style decorative art. it might still have a pottery mark on the bottom of it.

Where I used to live in Southern California every now and then I would hear about an MDer finding a sealed metal container at the beach cliffs. Yes it was creamated human remains but it had a name engraved on them. The names were India names.

 

[: Michael-Robert.]

Could have been a Flood also.....