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Legal commentary on "finders keepers" etc.


Personal anecdote -- about 30 years ago my handbag fell off my bag (not properly secured obviously). The person who found it handed it in to the police and I got it back. About 40 years ago as a very young person I left my purse on the bus with my week's wages in it (?11 :)) and the person who found it handed it in and I got it back.


I can feel very fond of the human race. They can be very caring and careful for others,


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8129534.stm

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> If there is no note and someone takes it, it is technically Theft.

> Simples.

...

> You your child leaves their micro scooter outside your house and someone takes it , it is theft.

> No argument.


How do you reach those conclusions?

It is indeed theft by finding


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theft_by_finding


http://metro.co.uk/2017/02/28/when-are-you-legally-allowed-to-keep-money-you-find-on-the-floor-6479579/


You're supposed to make an attempt to return to the owner (even if it's a five pound note). So if you take something abandoned in the street with the intention of handing it in to the police (or telling this forum) then it probably isn't theft as you want to make an effort to return it.

kibris Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> You left it in the street - your fault.If it was

> left inside the gate then you could say it was

> theft. But as you left it outside and more like

> your front door was closed then its not theft.


So if you go to the shops and leave a pram or your bike outside and some one takes it, it is not theft. ?


Don't be an ar*e. Of course it is theft.


DulwichFox

Not to side-track from this interesting thread, we had a box of fruit/veg "taken" from our front porch area Sunday morning. I would venture to say someone coming in through our gate and "taking" the box, which was outside our house, was indeed theft. Very disappointing. Sorry the cam was not yet installed to capture the culprit. I wonder if they made their get-away by micro scooter.

The link to the video doesn't work - is it still there?


Oh and even without seeing it, it clearly sounds like theft: Intention to permanently deprive

Kids leave their stuff outside their homes all the time...doesn't give anyone the right to take it without asking or without express permission.

It's theft.


People need to get off their high horses.


Just because we don't live in Frinkley Bottom, where people leave their doors open at night, doesn't mean we should always be on guard for thievery.


Question for those saying it isn't theft, would you have taken it?

If yes, you're as bad as the scooter thief and shoplifters!

Angelina Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> In all fairness, I agree with both Alice and

> Abdabs.

>

> Further, I'm a bit surprised by your implicit

> threat towards the woman who took it... not sure

> what you plan on doing with the high definition

> recording?

>

> There is a common theme of leaving things outside

> your house that you want collected and fair-doos

> to the woman.

>

> Insulting Alice has probably lost you any goodwill

> that might have come your way.



Shoplifter.

I think it's all in the positioning. I often leave things outside on my wall for people to take and they usually go within a very short time.


Of course I wouldn't have taken it, but they OP had said it was left outside and there is clearly some ambiguity in how this was positioned.


It's usually very clear if something is left for taking.


However, theft if rife and we should all look after our possessions.

Gloves Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It's theft.

>

> People need to get off their high horses.

>

> Just because we don't live in Frinkley Bottom,

> where people leave their doors open at night,

> doesn't mean we should always be on guard for

> thievery.

>

> Question for those saying it isn't theft, would

> you have taken it?

> If yes, you're as bad as the scooter thief and

> shoplifters!


There is a 'thing' of people taking things left on the street - especially if near/in bins.


But using common sense you get a feeling for things that haven't been left to take and a court would have that feeling too (a scooter near the gateway of a house - my common sense says not to take unless to return).

People are being a bit mean to ED Moots. C'mon now, it's a kid's scooter, they're probably distraught. He/she didn't say it in a mean way - in fact, it just sounded informative, letting the lady know that it belonged to someone and wasn't a giveaway. And that they'd pick it up. Calm down, folks!

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