When honesty isn't the best policy

[mookiemookie]

The 15-year-old Shepton High School student spotted the [$2000 in an envelope] on the ground and took it to a nearby Chase Bank.

Over the last three months, the bank and Dallas police have tried to find the owner, but have had no luck.

On Tuesday, police said under a new city policy, the unclaimed money will go into Dallas' general fund ---8212; not back to the person who found it, as in years past.

http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Dallas-decides-to-keep-cash-found-by-honest-teen-121609364.html

Really, Dallas? Really? She turned that money in so that the owner could be found. The City of Dallas is not that owner. They've essentially stolen that money. What right do they have to the cash?

As a Houstonian, it warms my heart like nothing else to have an opportunity to say "F' Dallas."

EDIT: All's well that ends well: http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Annonymous-donor-comes-forward-to--121637209.html

[AVGWarhawk]

The City of Dallas is not that owner.


It is now. :O:

[mookiemookie]

It is now. :O:

I guess they cited the well known court case of Finders Keepers vs. Losers Weepers

[AVGWarhawk]

Also known as tough beans....:DL

[Betonov]

3 months ???

If I remember right, it was one year here :o

[Sailor Steve]

EDIT: All's well that ends well
For the honest girl certainly, thanks to a kind-hearted person who could afford to be that generous, but it still doesn't get the thieving city officials off the hook.

[mookiemookie]

For the honest girl certainly, thanks to a kind-hearted person who could afford to be that generous, but it still doesn't get the thieving city officials off the hook.

I wonder if that policy is going to be revisited due to the media crapstorm this situation seems to have stirred up.

[FIREWALL]

In this day and age any Official doesn't G.A.S. what the public thinks about them.

[GoldenRivet]

Contrary to popular belief, honesty is almost NEVER the best policy.

If you find a wallet on the ground with a bunch of cash, or you find a purse on the ground with a bunch of cash - thats one thing - sure, turn it in.

If you find money that it is obvious who lost it - as in you just saw someone get up from the table where you found it, or you just witnessed someone drop it - sure turn it over to them.

but i'm here to tell you if i found an envelope with $2,000 hard cold cash and no identifying markings just laying on the ground like gutter trash... the only person who would know about it would be me.

sucks for the person who lost it - it takes a vegetable or a really irresponsible person to just totally oops 2000 bucks to begin with.

Nice guys finish last. I will just consider that $2K i found laying on the ground a bonus for all those years i wasted being one.

[Platapus]

And, from a legal standpoint, why would a person finding money that does not belong to them, all of a sudden have that money belong to them? :doh:

It would be nice if she got to keep it, but hardly mandatory.

[GoldenRivet]

And, from a legal standpoint, why would a person finding money that does not belong to them, all of a sudden have that money belong to them? :doh:

It would be nice if she got to keep it, but hardly mandatory.


because im pretty sure many municipalities have laws indicating that a person who finds money laying about and turns it over to the authorities, if nobody claims it within a given time frame, the money is awarded to the person who found it and turned it in.

i believe these laws were originally created to give people incentive to turn it over to the authorities.




In other news -- Not Everyone in Dallas is a Total Douche Bag (http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Annonymous-donor-comes-forward-to--121637209.html) - an anonymous donor has stepped in to assist the teen who found the money.

[mookiemookie]

Contrary to popular belief, honesty is almost NEVER the best policy.

If you find a wallet on the ground with a bunch of cash, or you find a purse on the ground with a bunch of cash - thats one thing - sure, turn it in.

If you find money that it is obvious who lost it - as in you just saw someone get up from the table where you found it, or you just witnessed someone drop it - sure turn it over to them.

but i'm here to tell you if i found an envelope with $2,000 hard cold cash and no identifying markings just laying on the ground like gutter trash... the only person who would know about it would be me.

sucks for the person who lost it - it takes a vegetable or a really irresponsible person to just totally oops 2000 bucks to begin with.

Nice guys finish last. I will just consider that $2K i found laying on the ground a bonus for all those years i wasted being one.

I'm in complete agreement with this. I'd go out of my way to return a wallet or a purse to its rightful owner. But random cash in unmarked envelopes....heck yeah, that's MINE. Especially seeing what happens when someone tries to be honest.

[Platapus]

because im pretty sure many municipalities have laws indicating that a person who finds money laying about and turns it over to the authorities, if nobody claims it within a given time frame, the money is awarded to the person who found it and turned it in.

i believe these laws were originally created to give people incentive to turn it over to the authorities.




My point is that this is not a universal concept and that not all municipalities have this law.

[GoldenRivet]

My point is that this is not a universal concept and that not all municipalities have this law.

correct, it is not a universal concept and not all municipalities have this law.

however, the problem here is that Dallas is one such place that DID have the law when she found the money.

but the law has since changed having recently been modified that any found money will go to the general city fund instead of going back to the person who found it.

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

correct, it is not a universal concept and not all municipalities have this law.

however, the problem here is that Dallas is one such place that DID have the law when she found the money.

but the law has since changed having recently been modified that any found money will go to the general city fund instead of going back to the person who found it.
My limited understanding of the law and what is right and wrong would say that this case should have been handled under laws in force at the time this all started.

[magic452]

There is a 50% chance that the money was some sort of drug deal.

Just watch and see how much money gets turned in in the future. Not much I'll bet. So what ever the city though they would make off this deal ain't gonna happen. Same kind of thing when you change taxes, people change their behavior.

Magic

[gimpy117]

yay Texas! they're so backward their like a car stuck in reverse!

[GoldenRivet]

yay Texas! they're so backward their like a car stuck in reverse!

Please.

your basing your opinion of an entire state and its people on one news piece - and you clearly didnt pay any attention to how the news story ended :shifty:

every year i meet people who moved here from - say - Wisconsin who expected to find this...

http://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2011/02/11/22/37/cowboy-4896_640.jpg

and instead are quite surprised at what they actually find here.

[FIREWALL]

Please.

your basing your opinion of an entire state and its people on one news piece - and you clearly didnt pay any attention to how the news story ended :shifty:

every year i meet people who moved here from - say - Wisconsin who expected to find this...

http://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2011/02/11/22/37/cowboy-4896_640.jpg

and instead are quite surprised at what they actually find here.

And some from Denver. Home of the BRONCOS...:haha:

[August]

I'm in complete agreement with this. I'd go out of my way to return a wallet or a purse to its rightful owner. But random cash in unmarked envelopes....heck yeah, that's MINE. Especially seeing what happens when someone tries to be honest.

I agree as well. This is a stupid and despicable thing for the City of Dallas to do. We should all make sure that they get as much negative press from this as possible.

But as far as keeping found cash. People do loose it from time to time. I know you guys are thinking lost drug dealer money, but what if it was someone like Uncle Billy (from It's a Wonderful Life)? This is why we need to give people reasons to turn in found cash instead of reasons not to.

Y'know there are states, mine included, who already appropriate the funds from inactive bank accounts. Put some money in an interest bearing account. Stay out of contact with the bank for three years and they're required to turn it over to the state. What Dallas is doing is just the next step on the same slippery slope.

[razark]

however, the problem here is that Dallas is one such place that DID have the law when she found the money
My limited understanding of the law and what is right and wrong would say that this case should have been handled under laws in force at the time this all started.
I didn't see in the story when the policy/law was changed. Did I miss it?

(Not saying what the city did was right, just trying to get a full understanding.)

[mookiemookie]

yay Texas! they're so backward their like a car stuck in reverse!

Not all of Texas is what you think it is. You can't generalize a state that has more land area than the entire country of Ukraine.

Y'know there are states, mine included, who already appropriate the funds from inactive bank accounts. Put some money in an interest bearing account. Stay out of contact with the bank for three years and they're required to turn it over to the state. What Dallas is doing is just the next step on the same slippery slope.

Heh, I'll give you the standard spiel I used to give people when I worked at a major bank here in Texas. That process you describe is called escheatment and it's a concept that goes way, way back to the Magna Carta days. It's set in place so that there's no ownerless property. If you leave money in an account or safe deposit box with no contact for three years, the bank is required to turn it over to the state. However, it doesn't become property of the state. The owner can come back years later and get the money back. It's a bunch of filling out forms and whatnot, but it's not like they're stealing from you.

[August]

The owner can come back years later and get the money back. It's a bunch of filling out forms and whatnot, but it's not like they're stealing from you.

Interesting but what about the interest? I might want to leave a nest egg for my great great grandson... :hmmm:

[Ducimus]

I will unashamedly admit that if i found 2 grand in an envelope on the ground, the only thing i'll be doing is making sure all the serial numbers are unique, and then deposit that money straight into my savings account.

[Betonov]

Interesting but what about the interest? I might want to leave a nest egg for my great great grandson... :hmmm:

deposit one cent every 2 years and 11 months

[Castout]

Under new policy my ass is new too :shifty:

That student should get the money. Good faith and good will should be rewarded.

New city policy is teaching its citizens to steal any unclaimed money. A stupid policy imo.

Like it or not 5-10% of people will never respect the law and order and authority.

40-45% will commit crime given opportunity to get away and temptation great enough.

30-35% will do what is right in the hope of social rewards.

20% or less will do what is right under any circumstances.

So Dallas new city policy is telling all but those 20% or less people to steal when you can get away.