What would you have done?

[Larbear2]

A while back, I was searching a middle school and while doing a grid in a grassy area next to a basketball court I moved a hooded jacket with my foot to get it out of my way. The jacket was soaked from the sprinkler and it felt heavy. I picked it up and checked the pockets. There was a wallet and it contained currency and change. Without removing any money, I could see at least 3 or 4 $20 bills, a personal check for $20 (birthday present) and the change purse was bulging with coins, perhaps 4 or 5 dollars worth of coins. There was a student ID with a picture and several cards ( not credit cards) that a middle school student might carry with them. I am guessing that the total amount of money was around 90-100 dollars. Why a middle school student would be carrying that amount was a mystery to me.

Now that I had found it, what should I do with it? My conscience would bother me to no end if i kept it. It was a Sat. morning, no one was around, school was all locked up. I decided to take it to the local police station and drove there. It was all locked up, message on the window with an emergency number to call. I made the call, got a message machine (very small town, by the way). Ended up taking the jacket and wallet home with me that day.

After thinking about it for quite a while that night, the next day I drove back to the school, (about 20 miles away) and decided that if I couldn’t find anyone at the school, (Sunday morning) that I would leave it near one of the entrances to the school and hopefully someone from the school would find it first and turn it in to lost and found. I noticed that the gym entrance at the back of the school was in kind of an inconspicuous area where the jacket would probably not be noticed unless hopefully it would be noticed by someone from the school when they unlocked the door at the start of the day on Monday.

I then went to the high school which is near the middle school, they are only separated by large athletic fields and started detecting. Before too long a woman came out of the school and I got her attention. I explained the situation to her and asked if she would turn in the jacket and wallet to lost and found. I told her where I had left it, she said she would take care of it. A few hours later, I finished detecting and drove back to the middle school to see if the jacket was gone and it was. I felt better knowing that there was a good chance that the jacket and wallet would be returned to the rightful owner.

 

[JimmyCT]

The police dept was closed?

 

[Larbear2]

Yes, it was closed along with city hall (same building) very small town. Message on window with a number to call for emergencies.

 

[MuddyMo]

I had a similar situation. Found a kid's prescription glasses at a park. Went to police department and they were closed (small town) Ended up putting them on a bench by the ball field. Figured if they were recently lost they would come search for them if not then shet happens with kids.

 

[sprchng]

I had a similar incident but was able to track the highschooler down. Turns out he was a top tennis team prospect and I was able to contact the coach and eventually return the wallet with the $35 through the coach. The guy later found me detecting not far from where they practiced and came over to thank me. Nice kid and thankful. Another incident was finding the 14k graduation ring for a 250 pound offensive lineman at another high school. Ring has to be worth over a grand today , it was too big for me and I wear a 15. He is now a teacher at a local middle school so we arranged a meet and return the ring. He wanted my address so he could send me an envelope,,,,,,never heard from him again. You never know!!

In your situation I would have given some extra effort to make sure the stuff got directly back to the student. Chances are everything but the ID and personal stuff disappeared and you got tapped for keeping the cash etc.

 

[Picketwire]

I've been on the other end. While delivering a school bus from GA to Denver, I lost my wallet with quite a bit of cash in Hays, KS. Someone had turned it in to the police department and we were quickly on our way. Don't ever doubt the returnee is thankful.

 

[jim tn]

Larbear2, I think you went the extra mile x2, 2 ways, and did good on the return. Hats off for the extra effort. HH jim tn

 

[Tony-Ok]

Sounds like you stumbled upon a dinner for yourself and the wife , then maybe a bottle of your favorite liquor!! Oh wait sorry!!!! That was the old me ! No really being on a ball field I would have returned it to the school. It might turn into a new permission to hunt . I wouldn’t feel right about that and my long past grandfather would have been ashamed of me. So I try to do the right thing like you did!!!!HH Tony

 

[Ronstar]

There is a big difference in finding something like that and NO identification vs accompanied by ID. You did the right thing!!!!
Conscious is a fickle bitch so one would have to make a personal choice on what to do with non identified property.

 

[fwcrawford]

Sounds like it worked out in your case since you eventually connected with someone at the school.
Personally, I would not have left it unattended at that door to the
gym.
I would have kept it and turned it in at the police station when they opened up.
I know this was a weekend when you found it, but was school still in when you found it?
If it was I would have taken it back to the school first when they were open.
If school was out, I would have taken it to the police station.
Congrats on doing a good deed for someone.

 

[Larbear2]

I found out that the small town is having trouble retaining police officers, many leave for a bigger city for more pay and benefits. Currently there is only one officer for the whole town and he also acts as the school resource officer.
I did consider returning the jacket and wallet myself on Monday morning, school was still in session at the time. With all the mass shootings going on in the country, I didn’t want to create any false illusions by entering the school carrying a jacket.

 

[Odanscoils]

I found out that the small town is having trouble retaining police officers, many leave for a bigger city for more pay and benefits. Currently there is only one officer for the whole town and he also acts as the school resource officer.
I did consider returning the jacket and wallet myself on Monday morning, school was still in session at the time. With all the mass shootings going on in the country, I didn’t want to create any false illusions by entering the school carrying a jacket.

I figured the doors would have been locked anyway.
You did good.

 

[fwcrawford]

I found out that the small town is having trouble retaining police officers, many leave for a bigger city for more pay and benefits. Currently there is only one officer for the whole town and he also acts as the school resource officer.
I did consider returning the jacket and wallet myself on Monday morning, school was still in session at the time. With all the mass shootings going on in the country, I didn’t want to create any false illusions by entering the school carrying a jacket.

I can understand your concern about being reluctant about entering the school nowadays.