Lost and Found ~ ethics?

[K'Ehleyr]

A push bike has been left outside my block of flats for the last 2 weeks. Nearest to my flat and blocking the bin cupboards.

I have asked all the neighbours if it belongs to them and No.

All markings have been removed ~ no stickers, no brand, no security etc.

So today I reported it 'found' to the police and if, in 28 days, no-one claims it, it is mine. Or rather Sons.

I'm just not sure about the ethics. I feel I ought to do more to find the owner, or is it a case of 'don't look a gift horse in the mouth'? It's an expensive looking bike ~ surely someone misses it?

I can only think it's been stolen and abandoned. But hate to think of Son riding it next month and someone saying 'what are you doing on my bike?'

Thoughts? What would you do?

 

[Finn]

Was it by the trash bin(s)?

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Waiting the n number of days for the police to find the owner is more than a lot of people would do. Ethically, you are in the clear. I mean, what are you supposed to do, hold onto it and hope the owner shows up someday? Meanwhile, it's taking up space, degrading for lack of maintenance, and not doing anyone any good. Seems wasteful.

If no one goes to the police to claim it then I'd say it's yours to do with as you please. Might as well have someone get some use out of it.

 

[Roger Wilco]

I would have attached a note to it with my phone number and asked if the owner doesn't need it anymore before reporting it to the police.

It's alright if it still works and you can use it, but it looks very low-end btw. It looks like about the kind of bike you could get for $150 or so at Walmart. I don't think it's an expensive bike, sorry to say, but I might be wrong.

 

[K'Ehleyr]

Was it by the trash bin(s)?

Yes. But we're next to a copse/wood so if you were going to dump something surely you'd dump it in there?

Waiting the n number of days for the police to find the owner is more than a lot of people would do. Ethically, you are in the clear. I mean, what are you supposed to do, hold onto it and hope the owner shows up someday? Meanwhile, it's taking up space, degrading for lack of maintenance, and not doing anyone any good. Seems wasteful.

If no one goes to the police to claim it then I'd say it's yours to do with as you please. Might as well have someone get some use out of it.

Thanks RM, I just needed those thoughts reinforced.

Son's been saying he wanted a bike to get to work so maybe it was just a charming bit of karma

Oh shit ~ I see a police woman outside with a van ~ maybe I should have kept quiet

 

[ares93]

Well i suppose you did the right thing. Its more then i would've done, i suppose. but then again, i live in a twisted bloody country where instead of a thank you, you get the cops up your arse.

 

[sojourner]

Not surprised if the police showed up. Normal procedure here in the states would be to confiscate the found item until the time limit is up.

 

[Nociod]

You get to keep it?, cool

Here, if the police doesnt find the owner, they sell it off at a police auction.

But if someone yells after your son, then you know you have the legal right on your side. If the owner didn't even bother to report it to the police, then why should you feel sorry for him?

 

[K'Ehleyr]

I would have attached a note to it with my phone number and asked if the owner doesn't need it anymore before reporting it to the police.

It's alright if it still works and you can use it, but it looks very low-end btw. It looks like about the kind of bike you could get for $150 or so at Walmart. I don't think it's an expensive bike, sorry to say, but I might be wrong.

It has been at least 2 weeks and there are cobwebs!

I'm going to leave a note outside where it was saying 'bike found ~ contact me'. The police advised not to describe it ~ let it be identified.

If it is low-end then that's a relief really. I don't want to profit from this, I just want it out of the way of my bin cupboard and being useful.

Not surprised if the police showed up. Normal procedure here in the states would be to confiscate the found item until the time limit is up.

It wasn't the police about the bike ~ it was the RSPCA about a neighbours cat with a scratch mark! Gotta love neighbourhood watch!

Neighbour had already taken cat to vets and he was being treated (the cat!)

I was given the choice of taking the bike to the police or keeping it in a safe place myself and waiting.

Oh, we'll see ~ son will probably lose it first time out anyway


Nociod ~ yes, that's how it works in the UK. If you report a 'find' and it's not claimed within time or has not been reported stolen, then it's legally yours

I still think we may change the paint work thou.

 

[Finn]

Not surprised if the police showed up. Normal procedure here in the states would be to confiscate the found item until the time limit is up.

No, it's not... Except for motorized vehicles and duffel bags full of valuables or drugs...,

 

[Roger Wilco]

If it is low-end then that's a relief really. I don't want to profit from this, I just want it out of the way of my bin cupboard and being useful.

I'm pretty sure. The cut-out of the seat tube looks fancy and the whole design of the frame is a bit strange, but I'm actually not certain the suspension thingy in the middle is even functional or just decoration. The plastic platform pedals are also not something you'd find on a really expensive bike, high-end mountain bikes usually have disc brakes these days and the fact that it's unbranded is a bad sign regarding its value.

It's probably alu, weighs a ton and is virtually indestructible. But if the shifting works and the wheels are more or less straight, I'm sure it's a nice solid bike to get around with, nothing wrong with that.

Maybe it's owner just grew too tall for it and couldn't use it comfortably anymore.

 

[Satyrquaze]

It's an expensive looking bike ~ surely someone misses it?

Actually, it looks a lot like my bike. That being the case it was probably purchased for no more than $150. If it's missed it's not too difficult to replace.

I wouldn't worry overly much about it.

 

[ares93]

Not surprised if the police showed up. Normal procedure here in the states would be to confiscate the found item until the time limit is up.

That wasnt what i meant.

True story: My mate finds a wallet on the bus. Opens said wallet, finds drivers license and so on. Takes said wallet to the police. Police give it back to owner. Owner claims there was roughly 300€ in it (There wasn't, I was there.) My mate gets arrested for theft and is forced to pay the owner and pay unit fines.

Result: People either take shit they find without giving it to the police or just leaves it to be. Ergo, lost items are never recovered by the owner.

 

[K'Ehleyr]

Not surprised if the police showed up. Normal procedure here in the states would be to confiscate the found item until the time limit is up.

No, it's not... Except for motorized vehicles and duffel bags full of valuables or drugs...,

I'd love to be there when the person came to claim the duffel bag full of drugs

If it is low-end then that's a relief really. I don't want to profit from this, I just want it out of the way of my bin cupboard and being useful.

I'm pretty sure. The cut-out of the seat tube looks fancy and the whole design of the frame is a bit strange, but I'm actually not certain the suspension thingy in the middle is even functional or just decoration. The plastic platform pedals are also not something you'd find on a really expensive bike, high-end mountain bikes usually have disc brakes these days and the fact that it's unbranded is a bad sign regarding its value.

It's probably alu, weighs a ton and is virtually indestructible. But if the shifting works and the wheels are more or less straight, I'm sure it's a nice solid bike to get around with, nothing wrong with that.

Maybe it's owner just grew too tall for it and couldn't use it comfortably anymore.

It's an expensive looking bike ~ surely someone misses it?

Actually, it looks a lot like my bike. That being the case it was probably purchased for no more than $150. If it's missed it's not too difficult to replace.

I wouldn't worry overly much about it.

Not to sound sad, but a £100 bike is still a bonus for us!

 

[sojourner]

Not surprised if the police showed up. Normal procedure here in the states would be to confiscate the found item until the time limit is up.

That wasnt what i meant.

True story: My mate finds a wallet on the bus. Opens said wallet, finds drivers license and so on. Takes said wallet to the police. Police give it back to owner. Owner claims there was roughly 300€ in it (There wasn't, I was there.) My mate gets arrested for theft and is forced to pay the owner and pay unit fines.

Result: People either take shit they find without giving it to the police or just leaves it to be. Ergo, lost items are never recovered by the owner.

I was replying to the OP stating the police had just shown up, not you.

No, it's not... Except for motorized vehicles and duffel bags full of valuables or drugs...,

So, you're saying it's not normal procedure except when it is?

 

[scotpens]

True story: My mate finds a wallet on the bus. Opens said wallet, finds drivers license and so on. Takes said wallet to the police. Police give it back to owner. Owner claims there was roughly 300€ in it (There wasn't, I was there.) My mate gets arrested for theft and is forced to pay the owner and pay unit fines.

Why would the police simply take the owner’s word that the wallet had money in it? Did other witnesses back up his story? The whole thing smells fishy.

 

[ares93]

True story: My mate finds a wallet on the bus. Opens said wallet, finds drivers license and so on. Takes said wallet to the police. Police give it back to owner. Owner claims there was roughly 300€ in it (There wasn't, I was there.) My mate gets arrested for theft and is forced to pay the owner and pay unit fines.

Why would the police simply take the owner’s word that the wallet had money in it? Did other witnesses back up his story? The whole thing smells fishy.

The entire bloody case was based on Guilt by accociation. My mates brother is inside for mvt and abh. And the fact that the owner was some posh lawyer while my mate is, and i quote, "paki bastard from downtown göteborg," didnt help.

But all this aside, this isnt the first time this happened. And racial profiling is not always involved. There are dozens of cases like this overe here. It just happens to be worse in this town.

EDIT: and no there were no other witnesses. And i wasnt a credible witness. At least thats what thay claimed cause i avoided a court case a while back so i didnt have to witness in court.

 

[Finn]

No, it's not... Except for motorized vehicles and duffel bags full of valuables or drugs...,

So, you're saying it's not normal procedure except when it is?

I'm talking about things like a bicycle (I've seen lost ads for bikes posted on telephone poles, asking the owner to call someone's number, a purse, a ring or a telephone. One doesn't call the cops for every little thing one would find sitting on the curb.

A motorized vehicle, a huge stash of cash or drugs is a world of a difference from an old wedding ring laying by a park fountain.