anyone wanna stop me

[bufaloeletric]

anyone wanna stop me before i go to a home of a former friend of mine thats been foreclosed and now owned by the bank. any horror stories of banks pressing charges against metal detectorists on their property?

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

Oh puullleeaasseee tell us you won't do it!!

You need to contact that bank hierarchy (in New York, or Los Angeles, or wherever they're out of ...) and ask their permission. And needless to say, you probably won't get a reply back. Or if you did, it would be "no" d/t some perceived liabilty song & dance. Assuming it's in limbo, in the hands of some nameless faceless bank, ...... then your technical answer is, that it still technically is still owned by someone. And no matter how abandoned and weed-choked and derelict, and no matter how much no one may care, you still must "go ask".

Here in CA, we had some cities that were particularly hard-hit by foreclosures in some neighborhoods. The home prices had gone un-realistically high in 2005, 2006, 2007, etc... leading to a bunch of people who "walked away" from mortgages in 2010, 2011, etc... The wheels of progress turned very slowly on those reposessions. They would sit like that for seeming months or a year. And to answer your question, there were guys who did in fact help themselves to the front lawns. And .... no, ..... nothing happened. But the technical answer to your question is: You must ask.

 

[SusanMN]

Around here the first thing that happens after the foreclosure, and I mean the day the former owners are out, is that the property manager for the bank slaps a No Trespassing sign on it to prevent the house or property being stripped.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

SusanMN, then the solution to that is simple: simply stay out of the inside of the house that has the no trespassing sign on it

There was a bunch of abandoned army barracks during a base closure near me. And all the boarded up barracks got such signs on them. Yet we roamed yard to yard hunting the grass around them. When questioned by the passing MP's, we assured them we were out in front, thus not in them (thus purporting to be in compliance with the signs). They shrugged their shoulders and drove off

Not saying that this explanation would work for any busy-body lookie lou. I mean, afterall, even WITHOUT such a sign, as I say, the "technical" answer, is, you can't even step off the sidewalk anywhere you go.

 

[homestead-hunter]

Just do it. The police will just advise a trespass warning if you are cool with them.

 

[thrillathahunt]

Are you a gambling man? I mean after all it is private property that is "owned" by someone else and by detecting it without permission you are taking a risk. If someone calls the police on you and the police ask you if you are the owner of the property (they will call and find out) you potentially could be in for some trouble. And if they DO contact the bank and the bank wants to press charges for tresspasing? Well. Roll the dice.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

thrillathahunt, well .... sure .... if we all thought long enough and hard enough about anything, there is always the "something could happen" scenario. For example: I'm sure there's examples of a motorist being roughed up by an over-zealous cop (arrested etc...) for nothing but a tail-light out. Technically, sure ... "anything" could happen. Such fears have even caused md'rs to think they need written permission to hunt a city's sandbox, for instance (afterall, you "can't be too safe" etc...)

 

[thrillathahunt]

Tom, I'm on your side in discussions about detecting public areas, tot-lots parks beaches, etc. But I learned long ago from experience what CAN happen if you detect private property without permission. Let's just say I learned my lesson well.

 

[TreasurePirate69]

And we wonder why people look at us like we are all thieves and criminals....

If you want to do it then you are the one taking the chance. Just don't complain the next time some agency or person treats you like a criminal just because you like to metal detect. Everything we do individually reflects on the rest of those in our hobby.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

thrill and treasure, you're right: don't hunt them. Or, only do so after the bank says "ok". This is, afterall, a question about property that is technically private property.

 

[TreasurePirate69]

thrillathahunt, well .... sure .... if we all thought long enough and hard enough about anything, there is always the "something could happen" scenario. For example: I'm sure there's examples of a motorist being roughed up by an over-zealous cop (arrested etc...) for nothing but a tail-light out. Technically, sure ... "anything" could happen. Such fears have even caused md'rs to think they need written permission to hunt a city's sandbox, for instance (afterall, you "can't be too safe" etc...)

Tom, you and your "permission soap box" really need to take a break. This is not about hunting some city park. The law is very clear here. Posted or not this person is asking our permission to trespass on private property and "steal" items that belong to someone else. Are you saying that you approve of someone trespassing on private property (posted or not) and taking objects that belong to someone else?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

treasure, I guess you posted this after I'd retracted. I'm now saying: "don't hunt it without the bank's say-so".

 

[TreasurePirate69]

treasure, I guess you posted this after I'd retracted. I'm now saying: "don't hunt it without the bank's say-so".

And tomorrow you personally will go right back out and hunt private properties like this yourself, thus ignoring your own "advice".

"Do as I say and not as I do. Or at least don't tell anyone you are doing what I told you not to do but actually do when I'm by myself."

 

[bufaloeletric]

in case anyone was wondering, 87 cents, a key, and a copper bracelet. Plus the permission of a nearby neighbor to hunt an 1800s property that he says is the supposed spot of an old civil war encampment, and yes, the nearby neighbor is the owner of lot he gave me permission to hunt in. ( i met the guy while out trespassing and stealing on the lot i spoke of earlier.) like some of the other posters mentioned, there were "no trespassing" signs attached to the home forbidding entrance into the house itself but saying nothing about the yard. so being a finder and a keeper, i helped myself to the change and nickknacks laying about the yard, which very likely were lost by the previous owner who ive already stated that i knew, and knew quite well. so should i turn these items into the bank, or should i give them back to the one that lost them? what would you do? on a side note, i think the current owner of the property should be run out of town and the place condemned, because judging by the condition of the home and the severely neglected yard, they dont really give two turds about it. These are the same banks that i constantly hear stories about of homeowners being illegally foreclosed on and bullied out of their rightful homes.

Robin Hood

 

[TreasurePirate69]

A yard does not necessarily have to have a "no trespassing" sign in it in order for you to be legally trespassing. My neighbor's yard does not have a no trespassing sign. But I guarantee you that if I went over there and started digging in his yard without permission that I would be in handcuff's faster than you can say: "if you already knew what you were doing was wrong and you had every intention of doing it anyway, why did you even bother posting here in the first place?"

 

[Tom_in_CA]

bufaloelectric, I can't believe you went and did that. How could you? I recanted my "go ahead no one cares" attitude, and realized that this is .... basically .... advice advising persons to trespass. And you went ahead and did it anyways? you are just lucky, that as treasurepirate69 says, that you weren't "in handcuffs faster than...." I can't imagine how the cops didn't swoop down in on you.

As for your question of what to do with the .87 cents, here's what you do: Send it to me, and I will absolve your conscience of all guilt. No.... don't thank me .... it's the least I can do to help you.

In the future, you will of course stay off such bank owned plots.

 

[bufaloeletric]

A yard does not necessarily have to have a "no trespassing" sign in it in order for you to be legally trespassing. My neighbor's yard does not have a no trespassing sign. But I guarantee you that if I went over there and started digging in his yard without permission that I would be in handcuff's faster than you can say: "if you already knew what you were doing was wrong and you had every intention of doing it anyway, why did you even bother posting here in the first place?"

i dont recall asking if it was wrong, i dont recall asking that if a yard doesnt have a no trespassing sign that if its ok to hunt then, and i can certainly say that i didnt ask forum members permission to hunt on property that wasnt ever theirs, and i can surely say i did not have every intention of doing it anyways, wanted to hear some opinions first. am i sorry for doing it, no. if walking onto the lawn of a foreclosed property is a criminal act, then yes im a criminal. but i guarantee that none of the people i talked to in that neighborhood today saw me as a criminal.

 

[bufaloeletric]

bufaloelectric, I can't believe you went and did that. How could you? I recanted my "go ahead no one cares" attitude, and realized that this is .... basically .... advice advising persons to trespass. And you went ahead and did it anyways? you are just lucky, that as treasurepirate69 says, that you weren't "in handcuffs faster than...." I can't imagine how the cops didn't swoop down in on you.

As for your question of what to do with the .87 cents, here's what you do: Send it to me, and I will absolve your conscience of all guilt. No.... don't thank me .... it's the least I can do to help you.

In the future, you will of course stay off such bank owned plots.

Yes sir understood, whats your address? Or maybe i should go back and rebury the evils i have uncovered-or...maybe the government would prefer to have this 80 some cents back in circulation to buy things that they can tax.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... but i guarantee that none of the people i talked to in that neighborhood today saw me as a criminal.

Be assured that ..... yes indeed those people did see you as a criminal. They were certainly all watching you ..... peaking through their blinds ....... thinking "of all the NERVE!! How could he DO such a thing!"

Now send me your .87c, and I will absolve your conscience of guilt. As a matter of fact, as further penance, you must go down to the police station and turn yourself in.

 

[TreasurePirate69]

You are absolutely correct. It is clear from your first post that you knew you would be trespassing. Otherwise, why would you ask about the bank pressing charges if you didn't already know that what you were about to do was a criminal act? No... you knew exactly what you were doing. So the whole nonsense about there being no "no trespassing" signs in the yard was just a way to make yourself either look or feel better. I'm not sure who that little act was for. Was it for you or for you? I guess it was for you.

Anyway, the deed is done and you will not be the last person on this forum to do it. Regardless of who you talked to you can't be sure that someone didn't see you and leave with a disgusted taste in their mouth. And just because the neighbors didn't get mad this time doesn't mean that they won't get mad enough next time to call the cops. But hey, you know the risks and you know that you are breaking the law. Just like when I drive 5MPH over the speed limit I know what I am getting myself into so that's my decision.

With all that said, knock yourself out and do whatever you want to do. I still maintain that this type of behavior reflects badly on the rest of us. But what can I do about it? Nothing. Just be sure you remember your attitude about it the next time you decide to complain about some a-hole not filling in his holes in the park or leaving junk next to a hole. And don't forget it the next time you read in the paper about some idiot being caught with a metal detector in a cemetery or protected battle site. Or perhaps you might want to remember it the next time you decide to rant about some ridiculous metal detecting show featuring some pro wrestler yelling boo-ya! or whatever such nonsense he yells. Because if you don't remember this and you complain about others making us look bad, then you will be by definition a hypocrite. And no one likes being called a hypocrite for some reason (despite the fact that pretty much all of us are hypocrites at one point or another in our lives).

Enjoy your ill gotten goods.