April 15, 2013
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Would You Steal It?
The NYPD has been trying to catch people stealing. So they plant items like wallets with money or credit cards to see if people will steal them.
A woman took the bait and she was arrested. She claims she was not stealing the item. She has never been convicted of a crime before. Here is the link: LinkA friend and I were walking in a theater when we were in high school and there was $5 on the ground. I saw it and I left it there because I said the owner might come back and get it. He took the $5.If you saw $20 on the ground, would you take it?
Comments (64)
no cuz id feel terrible afterwards if i did.
That’s pretty sleazy of the police! I would try to find the owner. I found a wallet once, full of money, and I turned it in, cash and all. If I found cash and couldn’t find the owner, I don’t consider keeping it stealing.
NYPD is entrapping people? Bloomberg needs to run a tighter ship, set a better example, for the men and women of law enforcement.
Of course because it is just laying there. That is not stealing-that is finders keepers and who can you return it to.
Absolutely. I am a scavenger. My favorite carolina football shirt was scavenged. Someone in college left it on the laundry room table for three days. On the fourth day I took it. If they wanted it, they wouldn’t have left it there for so long.
This tactic angers me. Taking possession does not prove intent. If you are going to turn it in to lost and found, you must first place hands on it. Yesterday, at the grocery store, I found a bag of already paid for items. I took it. And turned it in to customer service. Just like someone else did with my 6yr old daughter’s purse when she left it at the store once.
Taking possession does not prove what you will do with it. Do police really have nothing else to do with their time than try to bait people? Try catching real criminals.
I agree with@Grannys_Place. Finders keepers, losers weepers. We all know this from 5+. It’s an unspoken rule.
Fuck yeah! People gotta learn to be responsible. If I don’t take their cash they may end up going through their entire life acting all carelessly and losin’ money all the time and shit. I’d be doing them as service.
If it’s a wallet I’m looking for the owner and not touching the money. Same with a credit or debit card. But just with just cash it’s going to be impossible to track the owner down unless it’s an unusually large amount.
I would take it and try to find the owner. If it was a card I would call the bank and then destroy it for them. If they are arresting people based on that alone, they have reached a new level of stupidity.
Well ya, I’d pick it up and leave. I wouldn’t wanna be arrested for littering or loitering. And if they accuse me of theft I take it and stuff it in their shirt-pocket and say, there ya go, you musta dropped this mister officer sir.
I wouldn’t set foot in NYC. Not even for $20.
Yes, Mama always said waste not want not.
One time this leprechaun left his stuff unattended, and when he did I swooped in and stole all his lucky charms.
I’d check with the people nearby and if no one claimed it, I’d call it a lucky day.
Actually had that happen to me last week at work, so end of the true story- yeah I kept the $20. I reached out to everyone who would have reasonably been in the location I found it and no one claimed it. Wallet with ID is one thing, that I really try to find track down the owner. Loose cash (especially in smallish amounts), I make an attempt but have no qualms in keeping if there is no response.
$20 on the ground? Sure I’d keep it! But I would return a wallet… I know how much it sucks to lose your wallet
I’d take it to the nearest store/public place with attendants and let them know someone dropped it, as I always have.
If it was a $20 bill, I’d probably turn it in. $5 or less, not sure. If it didn’t look like anyone was looking for it, I’d probably just stick it in a donation thing. Most stores do have a donation box or some other sort of method for collecting money for a charity of their choice. That’s what I did when I was at work and people turned in money that wasn’t claimed or if they told me to keep the change – I’d just stick it in the donation box. It’s not mine to keep and it’s not the store’s, either. For larger amounts I’d definitely turn it in, and I would definitely pick up a wallet or purse – to check the ID and figure out a way to return it.
Once, when I worked at a gas station, someone left a bank envelope on the counter with $2500 in it. I counted the money and put it under the counter. The man called about it, and I told him I had it. He gave me $20 when he counted it and none was missing.
What if she was taking it to the police?
I read in the article that her daughter looked in the decoy car and called her mother over to look and that’s the point at which they aressted her. Jumped the gun, basically. I myself do not steal. I just can’t do it and besides, I figure I have enough to answer for in the afterlife without adding more!
If nobody was around I would but because I found it I wouldn’t spend it on me. I would probably buy homeless people yummy food or something. I use to be nitorious for giving a homeless person $20 here and there but I don’t live at home anymore, I have bills to pay ahaha.
Yes. I did that a few months ago, actually. I was at in the washroom of a club and saw the $20, and looked around to see that no one saw it and no one was really around it. I waited for a group of girls standing nearest to it to leave and then picked it up. I figured that the whoever dropped it had left the washroom and may or may not come back looking for it, and if I hadn’t picked it up, someone else (most likely not the owner would have) and they probably would have bought drinks with it. I wasn’t drinking that night, took it home and it went in the bank. That’s how I rationalize it, but I had initially wanted to donate it to a charity, and I didn’t get around to it. This post, having reminded me, makes me feel like I should.
I found $3 a month ago – took it – and turned it in to the nearest lost and found! Isn’t that what you are supposed to do?
Also, does the NYPD really have nothing better to do?
If I don’t take it, someone else most likely will steal it >_> Honestly if it where a smaller bill probably. $20 is too much for me to take.
@sarahsmurfette - I agree generally, but most of the people busted in these stings were very obviously trying to steal. The woman who was featured in the article and charged hadn’t even tried to get inside the bait car let alone steal anything, so the tactic was wildly abused in her case. And… I can easily see myself taking a wallet I found home with me to attempt to contact the owner so that they would not have to go through the trouble of hunting down where they lost it.
On the other hand, they’ve gotten a bunch of guys who have opened doors of cars (now they lock the doors to force would-be criminals to break into the car to steal the items) to get to what they want, and in other cases they have left the bait car running to see if anyone drives off with it. That’s blatant and pretty clear.
So, I don’t disagree with the tactic itself, just like in any other sting operation, as long as it’s not abused.
@SlickRick297 - Ends don’t justify means. Throw a big net into the ocean, you’re bound to catch a fish. But you’ll also catch turtles and dolphins and other wildlife which had no business being there and getting caught.
Money laying on the ground with no form of ID, I’d keep it. If I saw the person drop the money I’d give it to them. If I find a wallet I’d find the owner. I found a phone sitting on a bench at the mall. I texted the person’s mom saying “Hi, I found this phone. I’m bringing it to the Sprint store at Derby Street. Have a nice night!” The people at the Sprint store were shocked because I returned a $350 smartphone. I’m an honest person but finders keepers, losers weepers. Loose cash is fair game.
I think it’s wrong to entrap people like this. If I find money on the ground and I didn’t see someone actually drop it, then finders-keepers. Everyone is just going to say it was theirs, so why bother? But I would never use someone’s debit/credit card without their permission.
I live in a city of about 200,000 if I’m strolling around town and find 20 bucks on the ground it’s a good day. Chances are there wont be anyone around to claim it and there really isn’t a reliable way to get it back to the owner anyway. Hell if it was a hundred bucks I’d probably still keep it purely because with all the wind we get around here that bill could be miles away from where it was initially lost. Then again, I’m also the kind of guy that will happen upon an old ladies cat call up the number on her lost poster and actually accept the reward.
I did keep $20 I found once. It was in the grass in an isolated area. Nobody else was around, no cars were parked nearby and there was no way to tell if it had been dropped there or blown there. I kept it and didn’t feel guilty. If I’d left it where it was, it would have blown away. Pennies from heaven…
@sarahsmurfette - In the end, stings like this are very common across police departments in the entire country. They do these types of things to catch would-be drug dealers/buyers, prostitutes, child predators, etc. There’s nothing wrong with catching a would-be criminal who demonstrates intent to commit the crime they got stung for. In the end, the police have to prove intent to commit the crime, and in her case, they did an incredibly sloppy job (especially since no crime had been committed by the time she was arrested). If someone goes into another vehicle and takes an iPad out of it, drives off with the car, hands someone money for drugs, shows up to some strange kid’s house after a raunchy internet conversation, that’s clear intent to commit a crime. The tactic itself, while poorly applied here, is generally effective law enforcement and is sound.
If somebody was looking for it, I would give it to them, but I would take it nobody was looking for it. That is silly of the cops.
@SlickRick297 - I completely and fundamentally disagree with you. So should a justice system in which we are all supposed to be considered innocent until proven guilty. Holding a hot item doesn’t mean you stole it. That is circumstantial evidence and flimsy as burden of proof.
Um yes. I have before and I will again. This is seriously what the cops are doing with their time?
If someone came back looking for something, I’d most likely give it back. But it is very messed up for the police to do that either way. I mean if it’s cash laying out in plain view, it’s probably better for you to pick up than someone else. No one is going to read this comment anyways why do I type here.
If it’s money on the ground without identification I would take it. I’ve lost money before and didn’t expect to have it returned. If it’s a wallet, with or without identification, I would not take it.
I once found and returned a wallet full of money in a movie theatre. Lady I turned it into gave me a free ticket I’ve yet to use.
To this day I feel that’s one of the dumber things I’ve done.
@letsgoskate194 - people read these comments
Yes and I have. It’s not stealing; someone dropped it and odds of the ‘rightful’ owner coming back and getting it before someone else picks it up is slim to none. (Unless, of course, you’re in someone’s house or something and then, well, yeah, of course, be like, “Hey man…probably shouldn’t be leaving this laying around…” and give it to them.) I’ve dropped money, too, and I guess I could have gone back to search for it, but didn’t bother. It wouldn’t have been there. This is seriously one of those times when you have to wonder, “Don’t the police have anything better to do?”
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Are we that far gone that the police can arrest us for picking stuff up off the ground?
if I found cash I think everyone would say,”it’s mine.” so there is no way to prove who it belongs to so I would keep it.
once I found a roll of some ones and I saw a young couple with kids who looked like that could use it and I said,”you don’t this.” I don’t think they did but it looked like they needed it.
at work I would think; this belongs to my employer even if I found it on the floor so I would give it to the boss or the front desk.
If it was just a $20 bill lying on the ground, yes, and then I would donate it to a charity. If it was in a wallet, I would try to find the owner.
That’s such a shitty set-up! There’s a HUGE difference between STEALING 20$ and FINDING 20$ on the ground!!!! If it’s on the ground, it’s a lost cause! If I found a whole wallet, then of COURSE I would return it, but like… lost money is lost money! Finders keepers, losers weepers, period.
I once found 100$ (two 50s) and after carefully checking everywhere to see if anyone was around to claim it, you’re DAMNED RIGHT I kept it!!!
I don’t steal, it’s an inconvenience for the person/place you steal from. It’s also a lack of respect and, in my opinion, demonstrates your unwillingness to work for your own things. When my father and I lived with his ex girlfriend, her daughter would always take my band t-shirts without asking. Usually I don’t mind if someone borrows my clothes, but simply taking it out of my closet without asking irritates me.
As for finding money on the ground, it depends on the location and the amount. If it’s a 5 dollar bill in the middle of a parking lot, I do look around and ask any people by me if it is theirs. I also check inside the nearest building to see if someone lost it. If nobody claims it, I keep it in my wallet for a day when a stranger needs is stranded and needs a few dollars for gas or food. If it were $100, I would take it in to the nearest building and leave it for the lost and found. Honestly I have never encountered that much money on the ground before, though
@sarahsmurfette - Ummm, I’m not sure why you’re arguing with me on this point. The idea of sting operations is pretty basic, simple law enforcement and has been around for decades. Finding a cell phone in a subway and not turning it in is one thing, I once picked up a phone off the ground and did what I had to do to find its owner and return it. As I said already, that tactic was abused in the featured case. On the other hand, if you enter someone’s vehicle and take something out of it, you can’t argue that was circumstantial evidence. If you approach someone that self-identifies as a drug dealer, ask to purchase drugs and then give them money for it, there’s nothing circumstantial about that, that person would have had drugs if they didn’t happen to be dealing with a cop. If someone who says they want to blow up a building, makes a deal to purchase fertilizer, parks a vehicle underneath a tall building with the fertilizer in the back of the van and attempts to detonate it, it’s not circumstantial evidence just because a federal agent sold them flour and tricked them into thinking they were buying bomb-making materials.
Yes. I’ve lost money before, it sucks but I never expected it to be returned to me. For one, how could someone know who the money belongs to? They could wait there and see if anyone comes back, but the wind could have blown it far from the original spot, and if you start asking people if it’s there 20, of course someone is going to be like, “Oh, yea, it’s mine! Gimme.”
The story was her and her daughter were going to take a wad of money out of an open door car. It wasn’t just left there. If there was money on the GROUND yes i would take it. These are two different scenarios.
If it was a wallet/purse/etc, I would track down the owner. If it was money…well…depends on the day and the amount. Something like that is hard, because if it’s a 100 dollar bill, I don’t want to take it, but leaving it there means anyone else will. If it’s a 5 dollar bill…well…I just got myself 5 dollars! If I run across a homeless person I will pass on the wealth, though.
You can’t steal something that was fucking planted. As it has no owner….stupid ass cops. I hate this country.
Honestly, yes I would lol… what if that person forgot about it, and just went back home they wouldn’t come back lol they’d be like “screw it 5 or 20 dollars is not worth it and even if it is somebody probably already took it.” Plus how do we know the person who took the 5 again that it was originally theirs? They could be lying lol
Honestly.. if you drop something.. I think it’s Finders Keepers when it comes to pocket cash lol.. Nobody should be shamed if they see a 1 dollar bill lol and pick it up off the road.. I mean yes they shouldn’t but it would be a different story if the money fell out of somebody’s wallet lol and you saw it fall out and you took it instead of yelling after them and saying “You dropped your money.”
I think people justify their actions or just reason that “hey… somebody else is gonna take it”
I think it’s a bit wrong of people to put pocket cash on the ground and if someone picks it up they’re called a thief.. they may not be a thief.. its just 5 dollars.. whoop dee doo.. if you steal things from work thats different, if you steal from yoru grandma or anyone while knowing that it belongs to them thats stealing but if a dollar or five bucks is on the ground or at the side of the road.. the proper thing to do would be wait and watch over it until the owner gets back (which they may never)… lol and protect it.. but I bet you somebody else will pick up that money whose not the owner lol
i’ve seen such tatics to catch criminals before “on tv”..it is not only retarded it is immoral..i would be afraid to live in such country…such strategies are deserving of contempt… this is just unthinkable…lol…
I have returned things that I saw someone drop. In the case of small amounts of money, I will keep it unless its a very large amont. Then I’ll give it to the policeits my understanding that if nobody claims it, it’s yours.
Definitely. That is if it’s not some bait.
Police aren’t allowed to do that. It wouldn’t count as evidence in court… in the UK anyway.
if there isn’t a name or address in the wallet, what the hell are you supposed to do? if someone finds my wallet without any means of identifying the wallet’s owner, i would hope they’d take the money and toss the wallet.
with so many unemployed, people are desperate. to arrest someone for this is bullshit. also, entrapment.
That happened to me once at a store. I turned it in to customer service.
@sarahsmurfette - So true dear, so true!
Not like those “bait car” shows. 99.9% of the time when somebody is getting in those cars they are intending to steal it. I can’t imagine being arrested when trying to find the owner of a missing purse, wallet, etc.
Of course $20 just sitting there, that would be a hard case to convict if you ask me. Nobody’s name on it, cept the president’s but that don’t count. A wallet, with ID inside is different. Even an ipad, ipod, etc. those are different also, at least you could ask for some type of verification before handing it over to just anybody.
I have.
You are suppused to turn in any amount of cash, but they really only care for large amounts. I don’t know the minimum they start caring.
This proves that the police are now officially a street gang. They’re playing by the same rulebook. I’ve heard of idiots in high schools pulling the same stupid shit, laying money on the ground, and beating up the kid that picks it up for “stealing”.