How honest are you?

from JoeUser Forums
A guy in Sydney found $250 000 in an inner city laneway.

Instead of handing in the money he kept it. He has now been arrested and charged with stealing. If he had handed the moeny into the police after thirty days had noone claimed the money it would have been his.

Now he has forfieted his chance of claiming the money. Link

So it begs the question. What would you have done? Knowing that that was the law I would have handed the money in, but not even knowing the laws I would have handed it in anyhow. I would have felt really bad that someone had lost that money and if I had lost it I would want someone to be honest and hand it in as well.

But what would do?
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Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
I would probably try to track down the owner and see if I can get a reward. But it's hard to say. You never really know.

This also begs the question, what the hell was some guy doing with $250,000 in cash anyway in an inner city laneway?

Hmmm...probably drug money I guess...
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'd take it and hide it away in a heartbeat. I'm not going to pretend to be an angel...especially with $250,000.

~Zoo
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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'd turn the money in. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
I think he should go to jail for general stupidity.


Yeah i think he was stupid too.

But it's hard to say. You never really kno


It is hard to say, it would be very tempting. But for me the way I was brought up I couldnt even pick up a pin, just isnt in my nature. Although thinking about it if I was desperate for money maybe it would be a different story.

probably drug money I guess...


Yeah Im thinking the same thing.

I'm not going to pretend to be an angel...especially with $250,000.


Like winning the lotto hey?

I'd turn the money in. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't.


A bit like me.. I guess if it was drug money noone would come looking for it at the police station but another thing I would be thinking about is .. Who would be watching me pick the money up?? Could it be a set up?
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'd turn the money in. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't.


Exactly how I feel. I never found 1/4 mil, but I did find a couple hundred once, in a wallet that someone lost. We were so poor at the time, and it sure would have helped. I could have kept the money and just mailed back the wallet, but I didn't. I called the owner, and returned the whole thing. She was stunned, as she had just gone to the bank, and was going to use the money to buy her kids school clothes. I felt really good.

...... but $250K........ sure is tempting. I'd hope for some reward.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
I called the owner, and returned the whole thing. She was stunned, as she had just gone to the bank, and was going to use the money to buy her kids school clothes. I felt really good.


Well I would like the same thing done to me if I lost money.
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Like you phoenix, that's just too much money to be lost, and in a weird place like that sounds like a set up or something. I probably wouldnt have even touched it!
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
At most I would scan the papers for any mention of the missing money and if I came across it, and the circumstances permitted, I would return the money (the guy's life's savings fell out of his pocket). If there was no mention, it's mine. If there is mention, yet it's from what Homer's stealing cable guy's pamphlet called a big faceless corporation which makes stealing from them ok, then I'd keep it.
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
I probably wouldnt have even touched it!


Good thinking...

Homer's stealing cable guy's pamphlet called a big faceless corporation which makes stealing from them ok, then I'd keep it.


But it could be peoples wages for the week??
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
I would have kept it too, to be honest. I would have laundered it a little at a time at fast food places and kept my mouth shut. Silly law, imho, making 'finding' into 'stealing'. Just start lopping off people's hands and you'll have Iranian-style honesty.
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
He should have just kept his mouth shut! I would have!
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
I would have laundered it a little at a time at fast food places


Thats a hell of a lotta burgers baker!

Just start lopping off people's hands and you'll have Iranian-style honesty.


.. me thinks your making a funny here.

He should have just kept his mouth shut!


He did!
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'm sorta two ways about this. I would check the papers and see if it had been reported missing or stolen. If it had, then I'd hand it in. But if it were not reported, there is every chance it is drug money or profit from some criminal activity. I would do the same as BakerStreet i.e. launder it, little by little and not say a word. But I certainly would not have kept it under my desk at work, especially if I worked in a bank.

As LW said, he should be locked up for sheer stupidity.

Cheers,

Maso
Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
Arrghh, double post demon
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
Make it a triple...
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
Yeah, alright, a quadruple...
Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top

He should have just kept his mouth shut!


He did!


Did he? Are you sure? You linked to the article and the article stated that a co-worker turned him in. "If" he didn't say anything then how did the co-worker find out to turn him in? Never mind. I just read maso's post! LW is right! He should be locked up for being "stupid"! Keeping it under you desk at work. How ignorant can one person get?
Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top
Keeping it under you desk at work. How ignorant can one person get?


Yeah like Maso said..especially if you work in a bank!
Reply #19 from JoeUser Forums Top
Yeah, alright, a quadruple...


Hey Maso you button happy today?
Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top

I think the law sucks!  While the right thing would have been to give the money to authorities, finding something is not a crime in this country! The guy may be stupid, but the law is a lot stupider.

That being said, I would roll around in it for a few hours and dream golden dreams.  Then I would turn it into the police.

I found a wad of 20s that could choke a horse once, outside a bank.  Yes, I thought about keeping it for a minute or 2, but turned it into the bank and told them I had found it outside.  The guy who lost it did come back soon afterwards (the teller told me on a later day).  It was his cash for an upcoming and long overdue vacation, so not like it was his life's savings.  Still, I felt a lot better for not keeping it and that the rightful owner was found.

But 1/4 mill?  Probably drug money if it was not reported within hours of being lost.  And another bagman is feeding the fishes.

Reply #21 from JoeUser Forums Top
Pressing buttons is fun! (especially other people's buttons. heheh)


Some are just born to do it

Still, I felt a lot better for not keeping it and that the rightful owner was found.


I just keep thinking ... is it what I would want done to me if I had lost it?
Reply #22 from JoeUser Forums Top
Hey Phoenix,

I don't know what happened. JU has really been playing up on me lately. First it doesn't put show any of my posts in the Forums and then it freezes while I'm trying to respond. Argghh...

Pressing buttons is fun! (especially other people's buttons. heheh)


Good one...
Reply #23 from JoeUser Forums Top
I don't know what happened. JU has really been playing up on me lately. First it doesn't put show any of my posts in the Forums and then it freezes while I'm trying to respond. Argghh...


Yeah it's been happening with me too.. and expiring when posting.. and also no showing he reply window in some cases..