Lost Property Etiquette

[Travailes]

I have found something valuable on the beach which most likely has sentimental value. What is the best thing to do with it ? Hand it in to the cops ?

[Tigerslayer]

Clearly Yes...

(Is this a trick question?)

[nakatago]

Well, from my country, the last thing you'd want to do, if you really want to return something, is hand it to the police.

[the lynx]

Sentimental value? Wow now that's very subjective. I get it if it is MONETARY value

[ksl]

Make a police report if the item is not claimed within 3 months you get to keep it, so I was told by the police station when we found a mobile phone.

[ecureilx]

Well, from my country, the last thing you'd want to do, if you really want to return something, is hand it to the police.

I was told if you give it to the cops, you can ask the owner, to go and buy-back from the nearest pawn shop

Well, KSL, the times I found phones (4 and so far, all returned back), once when the owner called and couldn't converse in English, I told the caller "Go Sengkang Police station, collect there .. "

I went to the NPP, and the police man was a bit too reluctant to accept it and insisted on recording down all my details .. luckily the owner lady (a Malaysian) turned up just in time and the cop just witnessed the handover and no paperwork

I should have asked whether the police here have a lost and found ..

[Tigerslayer]

From SG Police Facebook page:

Found and Unclaimed property

•In the event you have lost your property, you can contact the Singapore Police Force's Found and Unclaimed Property Office at 68429645, 68428235 or 68428236 to enquire about it and make appointments for collection if it has been found.


•The Found and Unclaimed Property Office is located at 1 Hemmant Road, Police Logistics Base, near Guillemard Road.

No mention of specific process to return found property however I assume the NPP should forward the item to this office.

[ecureilx]

[quote="Tigerslayer" ... .[/quote]

That's enlightening

BTW, on the subject of returning stuff, once in a bus, I saw a wallet on the floor, next to the driver, I picked it and told the driver that it was there .. and he was like "OK, OK" and I asked him to take it ..

He refused .. and said "drop it in front near the windshield .. or go ask the passengers if anybody lost it .. "

I was like WHAT ?????????? and I yelled if anybody lost the wallet and a school kid came running from the back of the bus and said it is his .. and he was apologising .. (had to be his, cos the school pass was visible at the back transparent cover)

Then the driver blurted out that in the past, when he handled a 'lost wallet' the owner had accused him of having liberated some money .. and the driver says that he prefers to not notice dropped wallets till he reaches the terminal and all passenger have departed, before bagging and putting stuff on the floor in their lost and found, that handle it in the bus and be accused of lost cash ..

Courtesy ? Well .. that was more enlightening .. and when people refuse to handle wallets / bags on the floor, I can sympathise ..