Buy a lost and found iPad?

[nateo200]

Dear God I'm more astounded by everyone elses ethics than then OPs....but if your going to ignore us do it right by whipeing the hard drive, burning the SIM card and if possible changing the IMEI. (totally kidding on the last part return the device I'm sure who's ever it was they are crying)

 

[TheBritishBloke]

If he's not going to hand it over to an Apple Store or Police station, you should call the Police yourself and get them to take it from him, it is theft and you sir, are Immoral by even CONSIDERING purchasing stolen goods.

 

[saberahul]

If he's not going to hand it over to an Apple Store or Police station, you should call the Police yourself and get them to take it from him, it is theft and you sir, are Immoral by even CONSIDERING purchasing stolen goods.

I agree. Many times we get tempted, and it isn't just you as it's human nature; however, it is the right thing that will pay off later. I read here itself that a man lost his iPad on the plane and the hostess stole it and took her apartment. He was able to locate it and she was arrested or something. Even if the story isn't true, it is very likely so unless you think that $500-$800 is worth risking jail or penalty on record, then I have nothing more to advice.
You mentioned you won't buy it, however you should take the next step and either email apple or call them or contact your local police. P.S. I don't think a 911 is the appropriate number to call if you're going to report... just call their landline which you can find pretty much anywhere.

 

[Hey Jude]

thanks for all the info guys, definitely won't be buying it

I sincerely hope that this is true, and you have had a genuine change of heart, and not because of the negative responses your post has generated.

BTW, your friend is a thief, and you know what they say..."show me your friends...."

If he's not going to hand it over to an Apple Store or Police station, you should call the Police yourself and get them to take it from him, it is theft and you sir, are Immoral by even CONSIDERING purchasing stolen goods.

I agree...anyone over the age of five should know that what OP intended to do was unethical at best, criminal at worst.

 

[Tobster3]

Do the right thing!!!

 

[saccento]

I sincerely hope that this is true, and you have had a genuine change of heart, and not because of the negative responses your post has generated.

BTW, your friend is a thief, and you know what they say..."show me your friends...."



I agree...anyone over the age of five should know that what OP intended to do was unethical at best, criminal at worst.

He's a co worker who works for an outside company, not a friend. I can care less about all the negative responses on this thread, that's all I see on the boards. I decided not to buy it because I chose not to for a number of reasons. As for telling him to what do, I suggested he turn it on when he originally found it and he obviously didn't - you can't change people.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

I wasn't the one who found it if I was I would've returned it. My friend on the other hand wasn't gonna return it and said whoever owns it lives in TX.

What do you want me to do buy it off of him and then somehow found the owner ?

Essentially you are receiving "stolen" goods there; which is a crime in many places. Add too that if you pay your "friend" $450 for it and the law finds you in possession of it - then you have just lost $450 at least....

In the end it saddens me that there seems to be two less people in the world needing to do the right thing

thanks for the info guys. although I don't know how it would be considered stealing if he found the damn thing. if he handed it in on the airport I'm sure it wouldn't have gotten into the owners hands anyway.

But hey, it's not like I found it. I've just been wanting one and figured it was a steal of a price.

Those are just semantics to make you feel better IMO

If he turned it in to the airport police, trust me it would have been handled properly.

In the end I am surprised by your choice of words - "a steal of a price". You came on here concerned that it might trace back to you. So that shows that you have some morals left - however self-serving....

 

[likemyorbs]

You mentioned you won't buy it, however you should take the next step and either email apple or call them or contact your local police. P.S. I don't think a 911 is the appropriate number to call if you're going to report... just call their landline which you can find pretty much anywhere.

Yeah i think thats pushing it a little. I don't think he should buy it, but its also none of his business to call the police. If i find something and decide to keep it, even if that might be wrong, i definitely wouldn't expect a friend to call the police on me. I'd never speak to them again, people just need to mind their own business sometimes.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Yeah i think thats pushing it a little. I don't think he should buy it, but its also none of his business to call the police. If i find something and decide to keep it, even if that might be wrong, i definitely wouldn't expect a friend to call the police on me. I'd never speak to them again, people just need to mind their own business sometimes.

Really now? What if it were a credit card? Or a car left running in the parking lot of the local 7-11? Taking and going on a shopping spree with a lost credit card is theft. Taking a running car left by an idiot btw is also theft... If you join in on the use of ill gotten gains, then you are an accomplice to the crime...

 

[likemyorbs]

Really now? What if it were a credit card? Or a car left running in the parking lot of the local 7-11? Taking and going on a shopping spree with a lost credit card is theft. Taking a running car left by an idiot btw is also theft... If you join in on the use of ill gotten gains, then you are an accomplice to the crime...

There's a difference between finding and stealing, legally. If you find something abandoned, it's not your legal obligation to find the owner (I know I come from a family of lawyers). Whether it's the right thing to do or not is a totally different story. As for your credit card example, using someones credit card is stealing their identity and putting them into debt, not nearly the same. Its the same as finding an abandoned blackberry in a bathroom. Keeping it aint illegal, even if you think it should be.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

There's a difference between finding and stealing, legally. If you find something abandoned, it's not your legal obligation to find the owner (I know I come from a family of lawyers). Whether it's the right thing to do or not is a totally different story. As for your credit card example, using someones credit card is stealing their identity and putting them into debt, not nearly the same.

You might be right there... But coming from a family of law enforcement officers, there is a fine line there... Receiving any goods that have not passed proper sales channels is a crime....

 

[chown33]

There's a difference between finding and stealing, legally. If you find something abandoned, it's not your legal obligation to find the owner (I know I come from a family of lawyers). Whether it's the right thing to do or not is a totally different story. As for your credit card example, using someones credit card is stealing their identity and putting them into debt, not nearly the same. Its the same as finding an abandoned blackberry in a bathroom. Keeping it aint illegal, even if you think it should be.

First, "lost" isn't necessarily the same as "abandoned". Second, it depends on the jurisdiction. Some states have procedures to follow for high-value found property, where the value may be defined by different statutes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost,_mislaid,_and_abandoned_property

 

[gnasher729]

There's a difference between finding and stealing, legally. If you find something abandoned, it's not your legal obligation to find the owner (I know I come from a family of lawyers).

If you come from a family of lawyers, then it is sad that you learned so little. If it is abandoned, it doesn't have an owner. "Abandoned" is the situation where someone didn't want an item anymore and left it intentionally so they wouldn't have anything to do with it anymore. This phone was _lost_, something completely different.

And yes, there is a difference between finding and stealing. Let's take California law, because most people should know more about it than you do because of the Gizmodo affair. When you _find_ an item, you have a choice: You can completely ignore it, or you can take it. Once you take it, you have the responsibility to return it to its rightful owner or to the police. And once it is clear that you are not going to do either, it is theft. That's what California law says.

In New York law, it is not called theft, but it is still a felony. In Germany, as an example, an item that is "lost" in a place like an airport, a bar, a train, is not legally lost because it is now in the possession of whoever runs the airport, the bar, or the train. So taking something from such a place is theft right there and then. If you find something on the street and keep it, that is again a different felony. And don't even think about picking up a lost iPhone somewhere in Saudi Arabia and not returning it.

Basically, any place you go has some kind of law that will make it some kind of felony to keep something that was lost.

 

[likemyorbs]

First, "lost" isn't necessarily the same as "abandoned". Second, it depends on the jurisdiction. Some states have procedures to follow for high-value found property, where the value may be defined by different statutes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost,_mislaid,_and_abandoned_property

That's true, and there is a fine line. But i can guarantee most cases of lost/found electronics never reach the court system, because usually they're just not that important, its a couple hundred lost dollars and lesson learned. The real questions boils down to morality. And I just don't think the police should be called by a third party who has nothing to do with this case of lost/found merchandise. So as i said in my original point, people need to mind their own business sometimes. And not tattle tale on friends to the cops. I'd prefer not to live in a police state thank you very much.

If you come from a family of lawyers, then it is sad that you learned so little. If it is abandoned, it doesn't have an owner. "Abandoned" is the situation where someone didn't want an item anymore and left it intentionally so they wouldn't have anything to do with it anymore. This phone was _lost_, something completely different.

Who's job is it to decide whether something is lost or abandoned? Anyway you want to twist it, no one is in jail for finding and keeping a phone.

 

[Orange™]

And not tattle tale on friends to the cops. I'd prefer not to live in a police state thank you very much.

Funny, I would prefer not to live in a world where ethics are an after thought and thieves roam the streets.

Your so called 'friends' sound like chumps. They must not be employed because they obviously don't know the value of a dollar(Scratch that, make it 800 dollars).

 

[panzer06]

This entire thread seems a bit much. By coming here and asking the OP either wanted to be dissuaded from pursuing an inappropriate action (illegal or not) or made the whole story up to gain attention. There have been many threads started here where a moral dilemma is posed and by far the overwhelming response is for the OP to be honest and forthright in their dealings.

This is certainly how most people what to believe they will behave if actually presented with such circumstances. People want to believe they would be noble regardless of the situation. If his acquaintance was out of work for 18 months and his family about to be homeless and selling that ipad meant one more month with a roof over their head perhaps the moral high ground might be a bit too steep.

Pure greed or avarice aside do we really want to start calling the police over a "possible" crime as this? Involving the authorities is a very serious matter. For every example of someone getting off on probation for a serious offense there are many tales of the poor or under-educated being convicted of felonies where their more wealthy counterparts might bargain their way to freedom. As much as we want to believe there is equality in the legal system, in many cases this is not true.

If this is a true story the OP is wise to stay away and should never have considered getting involved in the first place but calling the police is a much more serious matter, one with serious consequences.

Cheers,

 

[aristotle]

Who's job is it to decide whether something is lost or abandoned? Anyway you want to twist it, no one is in jail for finding and keeping a phone.

It is abandoned if you see the owner announce that they don't want it and they throw it away otherwise it is lost and you have a responsibility to try to return it to the rightful owner. You can always just turn it into the nearest police station.

Did you say that you come from a family or lawyers or liars? Wait, they are often one in the same.

 

[bowlerman625]

This guys friend sounds like the ultimate loser.

 

[Night Spring]

All morality and legality aside, this guy finds something, that is, gets it at $0 cost, then wants to sell it for $450. And the OP, knowing this, actually considers buying it?????

 

[Orange™]

This is certainly how most people what to believe they will behave if actually presented with such circumstances. People want to believe they would be noble regardless of the situation.

I was at The Home Depot last month and a man in front of me in check out had just finished paying for a large purchase in cash. I noticed a hundred dollar bill fall from his pants pocket during the transaction and waited to see if he would notice it. He did not and started to walk away. I knew that I could have taken it and I know that I really could have used that Franklin to help my way through college but I put my personal problems aside and called after the man to return his money! He thanked me and went on his way. Heck, he looked like he was doing quite well for himself and might not of even noticed the lost cash in question in the future. It's the right thing to do, legal or not, people have a conscious for a reason.

If his acquaintance was out of work for 18 months and his family about to be homeless and selling that ipad meant one more month with a roof over their head perhaps the moral high ground might be a bit too steep.

See, I completely and wholeheartedly agree that there are circumstances that undermine what really is more important. I'll let Dwight handle this one:

Andy: I'll drop an ethics bomb on you. Would you steal bread to feed your family? Boom!

Oscar: Exactly Andy.

Andyt: Yeah I took intro to philosopy. Twice. No big deal.

Dwight: It's a trick question. The bread is poisoned. Also it's not your real family. You've been cuckolded by a stronger, smarter male.​

Humor aside, the mens got to do what he needs to survive! The ipad is a toy, not something essential like a roof over your head. I seriously doubt that the thief in question is in a situation like this though, as in he has a job and is just being an immoral dirt bag.

 

[saccento]

like I said I won't be buying the iPad, but I also would not be calling the authorities to tell them a co worker of mine had found it in an airport. I honestly don't think any of you here would do it. I find it funny though how many here are saying how you would call the police, or apple or try to contact the owner yet if you found one would probably keep it.

 

[Orange™]

if you found one would probably keep it.

Whatever helps you sleep at night. Karma will present itself in due time.

 

[0101001]

Do what you're heart tells you too.

 

[saccento]

Whatever helps you sleep at night. Karma will present itself in due time.

karma? I'm not buying it nor did I find it. I've said before I would have handed it in.

 

[leomac08]

Whatever helps you sleep at night. Karma will present itself in due time.

Karma comes in many forms such as being crapped on by birds, car accidents, tree falling on your car, your LCD TV randomly falling on the ground, getting hit by a foul ball on an astros game with your girlfriend.