Is it finders keepers if you are in a shop?

[Manana]

I just had an interesting talk with my daughter who told me just found a pound in the shop and this reminded me about a question that I had long ago.
If you find money in a shop who does it legally belong to? You, the owner of the shop or maybe a past customer? Are you still obligated to take it down to the police station and report it, if so is there a minimum as I'm not sure the police would like you to waste their time filling out a lot of paperwork everytime you found a penny.

[craft1948]

I would imagine it belongs to the shop.

[Manana]

Even if a customer had dropped it?

[craft1948]

Well it's money, and it's on their premises.

[Manana]

But then what's the difference to a tradesman leaving his tools or a friend losing their wallet or phone in your house, or are there two different laws covering domiciles and commercial premises?

[sophie_1003]

If I find money in the shop I work at (less than £1) I would put it in the charity box.

[redcrx]

it belongs to the person who dropped it. Regardless of where it is found.

[craft1948]

All I know is that if I found money on a shop floor I'd hand it to the shopkeeper. Then it's up to him to be honest if someone comes in and asks if they've found money they've dropped. One thing for sure is it's not mine.

[Manana]

sophie_1003 because you work there maybe you would have to declare that first otherwise it could be seen as theft especially if someone came back in saying that they lost the 50p you've just put in the charity box.
Redcrx so the best thing would be to go to the police station and maybe be in front of someone for half an hour filling out paperwork whilst the person that's behind you waits to report a more serious crime?
Do morals and the law become a little mixed up if the money found is really low, I mean most people even if they lost a pound wouldn't report it or expect to get it back, right?

[redcrx]

no, thats right. But it still belongs to the person who drops it.
If you pick it up and spend it it still wasnt yours to do that with.

[Manana]

Understood redcrx so found money is never yours unless you have a made a full report to the police and waited for a claimant who if never claims the lost money becomes yours right? Ok, so if you find money in the shop and the shopkeeper sees you and then asks for it and you don't trust them to do this can you refuse to give it to them saying that you want to take it to the police station? This could cause an altercation especially if it is a large amount, so what to do?

[Manana]

EDDIE51 I never seen your reply before I submitted but my question is also valid to you.

[Manana]

Or answer (The post at 17:45)

[craft1948]

I rate Tescos...............I once left a pack of 200 cigarettes in my trolley when I parked it for collection..........a week later I was moaning about this to an assistant and she produced the pack from a cupboard.........the trolley collector had handed it in!

[Manana]

Craft1948 a carton of 200 cigarettes costs considerably more than a pound I'm guessing, had you have moaned about a pound you lost would you have been given that back?

[seadogg]

I suppose you could ask for a receipt for money handed in with a request the rightful owner gets in touch if they turn up. We found a wad in Sainsburys and asked for an immediate announcement on the speakers which resulted in the owners coming for it, offering not a word of thanks.

[Manana]

seadogg I would've thought declaring a large wad of money over the speakers would have several "owners" running to claim it.

[craft1948]

Manana I think you probably would get £1 back in Tescos (good customer relations). I was just gobsmacked that something worth nicking had been handed in.

[seadogg]

It was counted and they got the correct answer.

[Manana]

craft1948 Godbless him if his intentions were true, but you never know he just may have not had somewhere to hide it or someone may have seen it handed in to him and he decided it was more than his jobsworth to steal it, either way you got it back and that's never a bad thing.