| Author | Message | ||
     happyman Citizen Username: Happyman Post Number: 455 Registered: 6-2001 |
Please Private Line me if you lost your wallet on Tillou. | ||
| happyman Citizen Username: Happyman Post Number: 457 Registered: 6-2001 |
Owner found..... | ||
| combustion Citizen Username: Spontaneous Post Number: 359 Registered: 4-2006  |
I'm NOT lecturing, just trying to be helpful. Lost wallets should always be turned over to the police, even if they do contain the owners address. | ||
| george H Citizen Username: Georgieboy Post Number: 287 Registered: 8-2005 |
Why? | ||
| combustion Citizen Username: Spontaneous Post Number: 362 Registered: 4-2006 |
What if you find a wallet, try to be nice and return it, then the person starts yelling "There was $500 cash in there!" What are you going to do? Or what if they're psycho? Or just paranoid, and think you're the one who stole it in the first place? Or what if they're all weirded out by you reading their license and coming to their house? They're gonna want to know what else you were looking at in there. There are weird people out there. If I ever found a wallet, I would just turn it into the police department of the town I found it in, let them track down the person and return it. Like Jim Morrison said, "People are strange." Most people would just be happy to have their wallet returned, but when dealing with complete strangers, why take chances. | ||
| happyman Citizen Username: Happyman Post Number: 459 Registered: 6-2001 |
Combustion: You bring up some good points and a few paranoid points. Anyhow, I decided not to bring it to the police for a number of reasons. The #1 reason being that, over the years, we have encountered many good Samaritans. We have come to realize that the faster you can get to the person who lost their wallet the better. Once you have cancelled credit cards, license and any other documents it is such a hassle to replace them. I just wanted to get to this person before they went to that level. The person was out of state, so it was not as simple as calling a neighbor. Additionally, they had multiple credit cards, cash and an important other document (that he was most worried about when he realized it was found). This is not my first found wallet (or lost!!!!!) so after a short post on MOL I called the credit card company and they contacted their client. I gave my phone number and he called back within minutes. No psycho, no yelling, no scam . . . just a very appreciative visitor to our town!  | ||
| combustion Citizen Username: Spontaneous Post Number: 365 Registered: 4-2006 |
Yes, some of my points may have seemed paranoid, but then I guess you've never had to deal with someone like my grandmother. If someone ever returned a lost wallet to her, she'd be convinced the good Samaritan was up to something. As I said, MOST people would be happy, but there are a few nut jobs out there. Maybe it's being female, not knowing karate, and not owning a gun that makes me a little more cautious when it comes to contacting complete strangers. | ||
| Cali6buff Citizen Username: Cali6buff Post Number: 56 Registered: 4-2006 |
And thus endeth society - via Combustion. - A stranger's just a friend you havent met. Marge Simpson as Blanche DuBois | ||
| K_soze Citizen Username: K_soze Post Number: 629 Registered: 11-2005  |
Cali, the proper thing to do is to bring it to the police. You'd have no clue what the circumstances of the loss of said wallet would be so why risk wasting time? The wallet may have been thrown there after a robbery, by keeping it home and waiting for word of mouth to get around about it's owner you would have screwed up evidence that could lead to the bad guy's arrest or prevent patrols to increase in an area where bad guys are tossing their loot. What if it belongs to missing person? It would delay chances of finding said person. Bottom line is we shouldn't take chances on that kind of stuff, there's nothing that says I can't post up a found wallet thread, ask for people to PM me for details and then let them know I dropped it off at the station, I'd then give them the report # to make the retrieval easier. And think of this, lets say you find a wallet with 500 bucks in it but would feel bad about keeping it, by bringing it in to the police and listing your name on the report you can go in and claim it in 6 months if no one else did. (I think it's 6 months, but I might be wrong) | ||
| Pdg Citizen Username: Pdg Post Number: 1159 Registered: 5-2004  |
No good deed goes unpunished.  | ||
| Cali6buff Citizen Username: Cali6buff Post Number: 58 Registered: 4-2006 |
I commenting more on the complete distrust of another human being, rather than the lost wallet senario. And your what-ifs made me chuckle. Of a thousand found wallets, how many are of the missing person/robbery type. Perhaps 1. | ||
| K_soze Citizen Username: K_soze Post Number: 633 Registered: 11-2005 |
What?? Where do you think you live, Little House on the Prarie? Do you actually think those senarios aren't possible. I haven't found a 1000 wallets like you have  , but of the ones I did, 3 of them were discarded after some type of crime. | ||
| Cali6buff Citizen Username: Cali6buff Post Number: 59 Registered: 4-2006 |
Where do you live, the 3rd circle of hell? You've obviosly been overrun by the standard fear media and news exude that you can't trust someone without 3 references and a blood sample. I, on the other hand, offer stragers a ride UP Tillou, (and I've also been picked up a few times) and lived to tell about it. Is there someting in your refrigerator that could kill your dog? Tune in at 11 to find out. | ||
| combustion Citizen Username: Spontaneous Post Number: 366 Registered: 4-2006 |
"And thus endeth society - via Combustion." Why? Because I choose to be careful? In another thread I recently gave an old cell phone of mine to someone I never met in person before. I'm sure he's a nice guy, he really seems to be. But being CAREFUL, I choose to meet up with him in a public place while accompanied by my husband. Does that make me paranoid and anti-social? Maybe you're just the type of person who picks up hitchhikers while driving. I don't live behind closed doors shaking with fear, but I don't take stupid risks either. But hey, that's just me. Also take a minute to think of it from the wallet owners perspective. What if a little old lady was mugged. She lives alone, is already frightened, and now some complete stranger is calling, saying "I have your wallet." Just give the damned wallet to the police and let them handle it. Wow, even this tread is starting to turn nasty. And it can no longer be blamed on the heat, since it's pretty nice outside. That said, I'm outta here. | ||
| Cali6buff Citizen Username: Cali6buff Post Number: 60 Registered: 4-2006 |
I see it as a serendipitous opportunity. ANd the paranioa side is this - it a wallet with a licence, with a photo and address. If it's for New Mexico, call the police. If it's 999 Mayhew, South Orange NJ. Chances are you'll be ok contacting that person, wouldn't you agree? | ||
| K_soze Citizen Username: K_soze Post Number: 635 Registered: 11-2005 |
haha, First off I'd never own a dog. I'm not saying you can't trust people or at least give them the benefit of the doubt. My opinion on the lost wallet thing has nothing to do with dealing with strangers or being apprehensive of doing so. It's about giving the authorities the opportunity to do their jobs, in a timely fashion, if needed. | ||
| Cali6buff Citizen Username: Cali6buff Post Number: 61 Registered: 4-2006 |
That's true and I can see your point. I just think is a rarely applicable point. I have lost my wallet 4 times. Each time from my own stupidity. | ||
| K_soze Citizen Username: K_soze Post Number: 638 Registered: 11-2005 |
And I'd have no problem giving a perfect stranger lift.....providing of course she was very attractive and had bad vision  BTW, 4 times?? You might wanna get one of those wallet chain thingies, either that or just leave it home.   | ||
| Cali6buff Citizen Username: Cali6buff Post Number: 62 Registered: 4-2006 |
swell. I think I'll take my chances. Good god those things are awful. | ||
| Scully Citizen Username: Scully Post Number: 895 Registered: 8-2005 |
Cali6buff!!! Nice talk about trust and not being paranoid. So, why is your profile so bare bones? | ||
| combustion Citizen Username: Spontaneous Post Number: 367 Registered: 4-2006 |
Cali6buff, I tried to post a few examples as to why it might be prudent to turn a wallet into the police, and in return I'm labeled "paranoid," and mention is made of "the complete distrust of another human being." Thank you. You are obviously the epitome of benevolence and humanity. It is obvious that we should all look to you, and try to emulate your shining example. People like you try to act as though you always see the good in others, hence the "strangers" quote. Hey, why don't you go down to Baxter Terrace, or Seth Boyden in Newark and see if you'd be willing to pick up hitchhikers there? Oh, and do you really believe there aren't any criminals living in South Orange? Oh, my mistake! It completely slipped my mind! All of our crime is committed by gang members who drive in from Newark, and then go back home afterwards. Denial ain't a river in Egypt, honey. My point was not that if you try to return a wallet, you would be found in pieces in the South Mountain Reservation. My point was that it might be better, for both parties involved, to let the police handle the situation. I was referring to the person in possession of the wallet, as well as the owner, who might feel a little uncomfortable with a complete stranger arriving at their door. That said, I have better things to do than to be attacked online just because I was trying to be helpful. I'm going to log off now and do real life things with real life people. Adios. | ||
| Cali6buff Citizen Username: Cali6buff Post Number: 63 Registered: 4-2006 |
Understood - my point is that your fear has taken over your judgment. Common sense is a valuable commodity these days. At this point, it's seems important to note that in 2 hours and 12 minutes the owner was successfully found. Not bad. Scully - Profile? Where? | ||
| happyman Citizen Username: Happyman Post Number: 461 Registered: 6-2001 |
Actually it was only minutes that the owner was found . . . it just took me 2 hours to update MOL!!!  and interestingly enough, it would have taken me hours to bring it to the police, in that I did not have access to our car. Bottom-line is that it is important to know you can drop it off at the police, but my life has taught me that, if possible, get in touch with the person ASAP so they do not have to replace all their documents/cards. Remember, at any point in time (if I felt uncomfortable) I could have enlisted the police. But I chose not to because I knew I could do it faster than a local police department. I am just one of those people that feel you should call in the police when you feel it is beyond your capacity. Call me stupid, call me naive....or call me a Good Samaritan! I would do it the same way again. | ||
| mjh Supporter Username: Mjh Post Number: 732 Registered: 5-2001 |
You're a Good Samaritan. You put a lot of effort into doing the right thing, and thank you for doing so. I would have done the same in your situation, and will do so if the opportunity arises in the future. | ||
| Pdg Citizen Username: Pdg Post Number: 1161 Registered: 5-2004 |
After carefully loading my groceries in the minivan, I pushed my cart into the cart corral thing next to my car, got in and left Whole Foods for home. Leaving my wallet in the cart! Oblivious, I went home, unloaded the groceries and did household stuff until I got a phonecall from a kind woman who found my wallet. She gave me her Short Hills address and I went to retrieve my wallet right then. Normal, human reactions from honest and trusting people I guess. I'm grateful there are people with instincts like yours Happyman! (Maybe they are why you are a happy Happyman!) | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 5839 Registered: 1-2004  |
Happyman you did the right thing! I too would have tried to contact the person who lost the wallet. The police are busy with other things. If I couldn't reach the person, then I'd contact the police. | ||
| happyman Citizen Username: Happyman Post Number: 462 Registered: 6-2001 |
mjh, pdg and jta- Thanks | ||
| Cali6buff Citizen Username: Cali6buff Post Number: 64 Registered: 4-2006 |
well done happyman. I've been defending your actions, and now with a little help from some friends. | ||
| Scully Citizen Username: Scully Post Number: 904 Registered: 8-2005 |
Defending against what? No one attacked! Just some suggestions. If you want to see the difference between discussing something (warning: opinions may vary) and attacks, check out the Soapboxes. Especially politics. | ||
| Glock 17 Citizen Username: Glock17 Post Number: 1710 Registered: 7-2005  |
This is by far the silliest thread I've ever seen on MOL. It has turned into a bunch of babbling, incoherent, nonsense. | ||
| Scully Citizen Username: Scully Post Number: 906 Registered: 8-2005 |
I agree Cali6buff - For your profile click on your name (over the word 'citizen') and you'll see what you filled out when you signed up. It can be updated at any time. |
