I found a £1000 platinum ring recently, who would be the legal owner of it? Would I be in for a nasty surprise if I took it to a jeweller and they ran police checks and it was stolen at some point or reported as lost?
2007-03-28 03:20:53 · 18 answers · asked by HDog 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Under British Law - no, you are legally obliged to hand that ring into the lost property desk of your local police station.
If after a certain period of time (you will have to check with the police station as this time varies in different places) the rightful owner does not claim the lost property you will be entitled to legal ownership.
At the moment you are holding the ring illegally.
EDIT
I strongly reccomend that you DO NOT try and sell the ring at a pawn shop. If it has been reported as missing you may be arrested and accused of stealing it. You may also receive community service or even a prison sentence.
2007-03-28 03:26:36 · answer #1 · answered by abluebobcat 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You really need to run an ad in the paper that you found an item and an estimate of the location and see if you receive a response. If you don't have any responders go to a jeweler, if the ring is stolen you will have the your ad from the paper and more than likely an alibi for yourself. If someone knows it is a ring and can describe it, about half the time there is a reward for returning such an item. If it were your mom's, daughter's, wife's, girlfriend's,grandmother's or someone important to you, what would you hope the person who found the ring to do?? Just keep it or be sure an effort was made to return it to the owner?? Maybe even you!
2007-03-28 03:36:31 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, finders keepers, losers weepers, but I would feel uneasy wearing it or keeping it if I didn't at least try to find the rightful owner. I have lost a couple of cherished items in my time and I would have given anything if whoever found them had done more than just keep it. A man my mom worked with found a bag with $7,000.00 in it and he made no qualms about keeping them. My mom was livid and said he should turn it in to the police. When her co-workers said it would just be lining the cops' pockets, she suggested putting an ad in the local paper where the claimant had to describe the amount, where they lost it, etc. in detail. I think I would at least have to do something like that. Then, after say, 30 days or so, if no one responded, then it would be MINE, all MINE.
2007-03-28 03:34:09 · answer #3 · answered by Janette 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you lost the ring and someone else found it what would you tell the finder?
Would you give up rights as the owner and let the finder keep it?
I think not, so do the right thing. Report it found and then if someone doesn't claim it then you get it legally. (They have to show proof of ownership, they can't just claim to have lost a ring and claim any found ring.)
2007-03-28 12:31:07 · answer #4 · answered by Captain Sarcasm 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You best bet is to turn it over to the police. If it was stolen trying to pawn it off would make you an accessory after the fact.
Somebody is probably missing it greatly. Sure the extra money would be nice, however turning it over to the authorities will provide you will a moral glow you cannot put a price on.
2007-03-28 03:25:48 · answer #5 · answered by smedrik 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Legally you are required to hand it in at your local police station, where they will hold onto it for a period of six weeks. If no one has claimed it within that time period you can then claim it as your own. If you do not do this then you are guilty of "Theft by finding" and can be taken to court and prosecuted.
2007-03-28 03:34:15 · answer #6 · answered by ragingmk 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You would be in trouble, legally it's not "finders keepers" If you bring it to the police station and nobody claims it, then I believe you get to keep it. Besides, just being a good human has its own rewards.
2007-03-28 03:27:29 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Report the find to the local police, if it is not claimed after a time, they will call you and you will get it.
2007-03-28 03:57:18 · answer #8 · answered by SALSA 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think i would run an ad in the local news papers stating "ring found", no discription, just ring found & if some on calls they would have to describe it perfectly. if you do that & no one claims it then i believe it 100% belongs to you. i would not turn it in to the police because i am quite sure you would never see it again (claimed or unclaimed)
2007-03-28 03:28:48 · answer #9 · answered by tire chick 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You should legitimately try to find the owner. Someone worked very very hard for that and they deserve to have it. That would be the moral thing to do. I think the law is 90% possession, so.......
I would encourage you to try and find the owner. Who knows, they might be so grateful that they give you a reward!
2007-03-28 03:47:57 · answer #10 · answered by Brian I 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋