Someone turned in an Ipod Nano at my work.
 

I only work with one other person during my shift and not many of the workers know about the ipod being in our lost & found. I know about it, I know where it's being kept, what do I do....

I was looking into buying one of those, by the way.

My morals have been so messed up, I really don't know what to do.

Wait 5 days.

Then you can take it and not feel bad.

And if somebody claims it get them to tell you what's on it beforehand. Either way you'll feel better about it.

I probly would wait a week or so, but I'm pretty sure once my supervisor hears about it, he's going to turn it in to the Lost & Found at the campus police station. I'm working a shift tomorrow night, and there's a good chance that it'll still be there then (my supervisor is on the lazy side). If he hears about it tomorrow, he'll probly turn it in on Tuesday, so tomorrow's my only chance, errr if I want to do it.

Is there a policy that if the owner does not return for it after so many days then the person who found it gets to keep it? That seems like the best idea. I wouldn't take it tomorrow because the person who lost it may need a few days to retrace their steps.

If you'd plopped down $300 or so for an ipod or had received it as a gift, and lost it, how would you feel if someone did what you're thinking of doing? Check your conscience man.

If your conscience doesn't work, look at it this way: If you get caught, you'll have to return the ipod and I can't think of many employers that wouldn't fire someone on the spot for that. So you'd have no job, no ipod, and because you've got no job you won't be able to buy one. Do the right thing. If you want an ipod so bad, save up and buy it. You'll appreciate it more because you've "earned" it and won't have a feeling of guilt every time you turn it on.

Actually when I was at the desk the actual owner had come up, but I didn't know where the ipod was at the time so I told him to go check somewhere else. Then later on my co-worker came and mentioned where it was.

First, it didn't sound like you were the one that found the Nano and turned it in. Time wouldn't make it yours. Second, it's not yours - so? Just do like the rest of us. Save your money and buy one. Or get someone's used mini since they aren't making those anymore and some people will sell their unit for a Nano.

What you should do, is leave it alone.

What you're gonna do, is anybody's guess but your own. Since ultimately, it's you that takes the chance and that suffers any eventual consequences.

The question is: do you feel lucky, punk? :D

This sounds a bit harsher than needed prolly, but what I mean is: you apparently know what's right, or you wouldn't be asking this question.

So it this area so big you'll never run into the guy who asked if you found it?

Because you should find him. And you definitely should have taken his name and number in case it was found, which it was.

Honestly, this sounds like he'd be fairly easy to find, since you ID'd him. I'd tell the manager to list the lost item, with a good bit of the playlist, and you could sight ID him.

And if you were to decide to sit on it until you could five finger it, you'll pay the price. Young people tend not to believe Karma, it exists.

Damn straight about karma. Theft is a really Bad Idea.

lost property doesn't belong to the finder, especially when you have knoweldge of the true owner. all lost property that is not claimed must be turned over to the state. your employer could face civil fines if you take it and the state finds out, and you certainly would face criminal charges for theft and receipt of stolen property.

seriously...with an educational discount, a nano is not *that* expensive.

man, it's not yours. If you want to listen to music so badly, turn on the radio. Or is it a status symbol?

Seems that you saw the owner, so you should return to that person directly (upon some sort of verification, of course).

Regardless, not a good idea to steal, esp. if there's a campus lost-and-found. Imagine if you lost your Nano...how much would that suck if you couldn't get it back because somebody stole it before giving it to the campus cops?

Just a thought -- I don't know, I'd want to be considerate of the person who lost it.

I'm gonna argue for keeping it. Just have a friend come up and act like it's his when someone else is working.

And besides, if someone is careless enough to lose a Nano, they probably have enough cash to replace it in the first place.

That is wrong, alansmithee. People who lose track of things tend to be over-worked, over-scheduled people. He probably took his iPod everywhere because the only time he had to enjoy music was when he was on the move.

I guess I don't get why this has to be questioned. It's not yours. You're not entitled to it. If you take it, you're a thief. Pretty cut and dried.

if it's not engraved just take it


but next time you loose something and don't get it back ..don't bitch

I got an Ipod stolen from me about 6 months ago. It's a shitty feeling...I loved that thing. Although, if they don't care enough about it to claim it within a few weeks, I'd definitley say it's yours.

I could only justify keeping it under very specific circumstances.

1. You found it.
2. You posted "Found - ipod - Call 333-3333 to identify" in a prominent place and in the same location that it was lost.
3. If someone was looking for it you gave it to them.

If you've done all those and they still haven't come to get it - keep it. It does sound like someone did come in looking for it and since you saw the person you should attempt to get it back to them.

Not that I believe in karma or anything like that, but give it back. You might make a friend out of it, and we all know that friends are worth more than a couple hundred bucks. :)

I'm curious as to what you mean by that. What messed up your moral sense?

Despite common belief in this being legal, it is not. Unclaimed property belongs to the State, not the finder. Moreoever, in this instance, it is claimed property. The OP stated that the person attempted to retrieve the iPod shortly after losing it.

Simply, there is NO legal fashion to retain custody of this iPod.

This page is from Washington, but AFAIK all states have similar laws.

http://ucp.dor.wa.gov/holderContent.aspx

Well the state can kiss both of my rosy cheeks.

But in light of the fact that the actual owner has approached you I would have never proposed keeping it, as I did originally.

Replace "kiss" with "apply civil and possibly criminal penalties to" and i think you've got it. Regardless of if you like the law, lots of companies and people get seriously fried for doing what they think is common sense legal, but isn't.

You know who the owner is, yet you want it so you told him to check somewhere else. You're considering taking it and creating a cover story in order to prevent yourself from getting caught. What the fuck is your problem? This is no better than taking it off a table when nobody is looking and claiming that some guy walked by and did it.

Don't you need the cables that go along to use it properly? Did you find them too?

...
 

Well said. I agree. You probably know it isn't right. I don't see why the owner should be limited to one week or so, to claim it. They may be looking a million other places. They'll most likely make their way right to where it is. I have had an ipod stolen, so I know how it feels to lose those damn things.

I think the only opinion that matters is the owner’s opinion, find him and ask him. But seriously, if you have no qualms about taking it do it, if you do(as starting this thread indicates), don't, either way what anyone says isn't going to be helpful, especially since I think you're looking for a different answer.

I lost a wallet with over $200 in it one time during my freshman year in college. It was a Monday, and I had just come home on Sunday night and after my 8:00 class I was going to ride my bike (my only transportation outside of friends) to my bank and make a deposit. When I arrived in my room after my class to drop off my books, I realized my wallet was gone. I was unbelievably pissed off. Granted, $200 lost isn't the end of the world, but for me as a freshman in college with no income, it was a pretty big fucking blow. I retraced my steps and didn't find it. I stopped in to the department's office of the wing where I lost my wallet and at least notified them and left my name an number in vain.

Two hours later, a professor from the department called me and said that he was in the classroom the hour after mine and someone had come up and given him the wallet and said someone in the class prior (since 8:00 is the first class of the day) probably dropped it.

I was unbelievably relieved and unimaginably grateful that one person out there did the right thing.


It's appalling to me to meet people who can't understand the difference between right and wrong. It sounds to me like you already know what the "right" answer is, and you are just hoping someone on this forum will convince you to steal the Ipod. Trust me, help find the owner, and return the Ipod to them. The gratitude on their face and the thanks you will receive will do a lot more for you than an Ipod will. Besides, it sounds like you might need a little morale reinforcement in your life. Nothing will give that to you. Noone will walk up and tap you with a wand. You must look to yourself to make decisions of morality. Hopefully you will make good ones.

Good Luck.

Doing the right thing is easy, assuming you know the right thing to do. You know it, so do it.

I think that if I kept it I would not be able to enjoy it as much as if I had bought it myself. The nicer I thought the ipod was, the worse I would feel, knowing that someone else is probably missing it. I think any advantages to keeping it are outweighed by the good feeling of turning it in and knowing you did the right thing.

What he said. People who think they're entitled to the property of others are losers.