Found Gold ring - Hand in to police?

[oldartefact]

I dont think that it is correct to say that the person claiming the item isn't interested in thanking the person who found it. With respect that is a very sweeping statement, and even if its true 95% of the time could well be due to the process for reclaiming the item. ie. is the claimant expressly told that he/she can register a message of thanks to be given to the finder, is the claimant asked if they would like the name and address of the finder (assuming the finder has given consent under the DPA)?, Is the claimant asked if they would like to leave a reward for the finder or make a donation to charity, I suspect the answer is these questions is no, but I am hoping to be told I am wrong.

Also i do not think its a good policy to suggest not handing something on the basis you wont get caught. The morals unpinning such an action would in my book be questionable, but I do not dispute that you are unlikely to be caught. One scenario where you could be caught is if you try to sell the item on e-bay, or at jewlers close to the loss site.[/quote]

1) I can assure you there are some people out there so selfish that they have no interest in thanking the finder. A small number perhaps but I've witnessed this myself as have been the person handing it back to them. You'd think asking who was good enough to hand it in would be their first question? I've even been in positions where I've asked whether they'd like their contact details and been asked could I call them and thank them for them?! However the point I was trying to make (and my grammar may have let me down) was that often - EITHER the person isn't interested OR the system breaks down for one reason or another. I wasn't giving the former weight over the latter.

2) At no point have I suggested or condoned not handing something in on the basis your unlikely to get caught. My opinion of whether to hand it in, I thought, was quite clear. I merely stated, as you too rightly point out, the obvious in saying that in these circumstances its unlikely. I also didn't use the word 'caught' you did. I said 'be in trouble' . There is a difference but I'm not going in to it....[/quote]

My post wasnt an attack on you, I am sorry that you have taken it that way.

[Kingmidas]

One of my very first finds back in the early eighties was a gold ring in my back garden with my Fieldmaster 44. I was only 15 at the time and was jumping up and down with excitement. Turns out it was my mums wedding ring which she lost about 20 years previous. She was amazed and overjoyed and I got a tenner reward - so I was pretty happy too.

But I was happier still at finding something that mattered so much to someone else.

My opinion is that you have to inform the police - the person who lost it may have already filed a lost property report. And karma always evens out in the end.

[Addicted to bleeps]

What are you saying about not wanting to hand it in? The police are the police, we all have our opinions, but you seem to think that there might be something dodgy going on at the station? I think that we all have to trust the police, and do what the law states.

You do love to start an argument on here, eh? lol Guess its my turn tonight...

Anyway, just to clear things up. The reason I'm paranoid, is BECAUSE A POLICE OFFICER told me to be careful, and wary handing something like this into the police. In addition, plenty of people have given me plenty of examples concerning this point of view. So, in that instance, I have every right to question the procedure. Do I trust the police 100% concerning my experience with them? No, definitely not. I'm sure the majority of police are good guys, with pure intentions. Unfortunately, I've met some bad eggs, so I have every right to raise this question, twinned with the opinion of others (including an officer) as mentioned above.

Also, as I said I will be 'taking the chance' by handing it in tomorrow.

I have exhausted all other possibilities, by trying local Facebook, Twitter, lost and found sites etc. I've done my best here.

Just to make things clear, I don't want this. I want to get it back to the owner. That's my main aim.

[Thor]

I struck gold , immediately after the winter storms . I cleaned the little beauty up , then handed it in to Merseyside police , who gave me a receipt and contact details. 28 days later , I was reunited with my precious. Took it to a couple of jewellers , first offered a derisory scrap price ,the second bought it and told me it was Victorian and a " lovely" piece. Felt good having the paperwork from the police to show I had done the right thing and it half paid for my new minelab. Karma

[oldartefact]

I struck gold , immediately after the winter storms . I cleaned the little beauty up , then handed it in to Merseyside police , who gave me a receipt and contact details. 28 days later , I was reunited with my precious. Took it to a couple of jewellers , first offered a derisory scrap price ,the second bought it and told me it was Victorian and a " lovely" piece. Felt good having the paperwork from the police to show I had done the right thing and it half paid for my new minelab. Karma

We would love to see your little gem... it sounds amazing!

[iDetect]

"The Police" we're never created to deal with lost & found property, fost & found dogs, or even to police The road traffic, they simply became the dumping ground for such tasks over the years. In these austere times with reducing numbers, prioritising demand and increased threat levels forces across the country have takin various paths to offload such admin intensive burdens.

Locally the force policy is that you report any found property and retain it for a clear calendar month. If they have not re contacted you within that time to say it has been reported lost then ownership passes to you.

A "clear calendar month" means just that, so if you find and report it on say 10th July, the clear month is August. So ownership passes to you on 1st September.

All of this excludes stolen or prohibited articles or items that present a danger to the public. So if you find and report a KG of heroin they are not going to let you keep it. Likewise a sct1 firearm is going to be taken into police care and disposed of.