Found Free Stuff in the Woods

[bowfin]

I was running the hound in a little wooded lot by a gravel road and found a red duffle bag. Inside was a laptop, DVD player, a Kindle, an iPod, some Xbox games, and a pocket knife, along with an assortment of prescription drugs.

That was a lot of loot for someone to ditch!

Oh, and the hound treed a rooster pheasant just like it was a coon. It looked pretty peeved and crowed at my dog before it flew off. I could tell by the bark that it wasn't a coon or a squirrel. (This is an all purpose hound, before any of you dyed in the wool coon hound guys give me grief. It even retrieved a mallard for my son.)

[leftiye]

Maybe a burglar's loot?

[bowfin]

By the way, I found a name on one of the prescription bottles, checked the laptop, and found the name in the phone book. Called the guy and told him I was returning his stuff, and if he wanted to tell the police he got it back, fine. I was afraid that he wouldn't get it back. Come to find out, he was burglarized twice in two days. This was all the loot from the second break in.

I think the rooster pheasant was the lookout on the heist...frickin' ditch parrots can't be trusted!

[338RemUltraMag]

Sounds stolen, give it to the cops if it isnt claimed after a month or so the cops give it to you as yours to keep

[Triggerhappy]

Nah, better to get it to who it belongs to. Last May I found a brand new 30-06 with scope while doing some Search & Rescue work. Took it to the Sheriff's. Single mother of a kid came and claimed it. She had scraped the money together to buy his first rifle, and he set it down and drove off without it. She was very happy to get it back. Made me feel goo that they got it back.

You done good.

TH

[slide]

You're a good man !

[bowfin]

I think most anyone on this forum would have done the same, as Triggerhappy has proven.

That place is where a lot of people go to dump stuff, such as old tires with rims. I must have claimed two pounds of wheelweights off of those tires, and a cracked aluminum rim that went to the scrap yard. Then the old two watt light bulb went on over my head, and my nephew and I went out and carried out all the tires with steel rims and sold the steel for scrap.

This used to be a public hunting area until the town grew up around it. It's still a public place, but it gets trashed. I pick up at least one thing in each hand every time I run the hound.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

it is amazing what people dump we have a road along the river that the scouts clean every year , it gives them a real look at what dumping does , it's mostly beer cans and bottles but we get car tires also.

i picked up a bucket 2 years ago some one had done an oil change put the old oil and filter in a cat litter bucket popped the lid on and gave it a toss , opposite the river , how they expect their to be any fish left when they go out there fishing.

[bowfin]

we have a road along the river that the scouts clean every year

I have been there and done that with the Scouts many times. Unfortunately, a study has shown that people are MORE LIKELY to dump stuff where they know that people or groups regularly clean up after them. They have found that well publicized ticket writing and arrests cut down the amount of litter and illegal dumping somewhere around half of what was there before.

The study was done by the Izaak Walton League of America.

[Harter66]

I picked up a cell phone once mailed it to its person. They didn't know it was gone untill they were 150 miles down the road.

[Chihuahua Floyd]

Found a set of keys with a "Drop in any mailbox if found" tag. Course that was after one of the hurricanes at the beach one year. Still dropped keys in mailbox, just had to drive 30 miles to find a mailbox.
CF

[Westwindmike]

Sounds stolen, give it to the cops if it isnt claimed after a month or so the cops give it to you as yours to keep

Not around here. I found a diamond ring on a school playground a few years back with my metal detector. Told the principal that I had it and gave her my number in case anyone came into the school to report it missing. She called the cops on me and they insisted that I give them the ring. 3 months later I went to the PD to see if it had been claimed. It hadn't. I said I wanted it back. They said no way! All turned in items get sold at auction and the city keeps the money.

[waksupi]

I was hunting way back in the pucker brush in the Great Bear wilderness some years back. I found a new roll of electricians tape, and a new plastic pot scrubber, about a quarter mile apart. This was definitely no place anyone was dragging a pack string through, and darn few penetrate where I was hunting. Only thing I can figure is it somehow fell out of an airplane headed for the back country landing strip.

On another hunt, my X and I were hunting bighorn sheep, and the weather was so miserable, we couldn't even set up a tent in the wind. So, we managed to get some food in us, then crawled into the back of the pick up to sleep.
We had set out a box full of food, and a few other things under the truck to make room.
The next day, we had a sheep down early in the day, loaded it in the pick up, and headed home in a thick fog.
Once we got home, we realized we had left the box of stuff under the truck, but we weren't going to drive clear back to where we had been hunting, and just wrote it off.
A couple days later we got a call from some folks in Great Falls. They had found the box, and my X's address book in it. Her name was in the front cover, and they called.
We thanked them for letting us know, but told them since there was nothing of real value there, it would be nice if they sent back the address book.
A few days later, not only did the address book come, but also the whole box of what we had left. No return address, so we couldn't even thank them properly.

Another incident comes to mind, where I found a check book in a parking lot. There was about $400 in cash in it, and a half dozen credit cards.
I notified the restaurant owner that I had it in case they came looking for it. The address was for Bozeman, so they were quite a way from home.
I called the phone number on the check, and left a message. They fortunately called home to check for messages, and were able to meet me and get their stuff back before they headed home.
They wanted to give me a reward, but I told them just give something to the Shriner's Hospitals instead.

[troy_mclure]

when ipods were brand new i found one by a motorcycle dealership. it was locked so i took it to the att store, they contacted the person, and gave me a $25 credit.

[Stephen Cohen]

You great men, have proved, what I tell everyone. True hunters and Fiearme owners, the world over. Have honou,r Honesty, and integraty. Well done you make me proud.

[JesterGrin_1]

lol I found not 1 not 2 but 3 cell phones in one day lol. Well 2 at one time lol. A person and his wife was visiting here in San Antonio and were robbed come to find out. I found the cell phones in the middle of the street in a neighborhood just before I almost ran over them lol. They looked new. So with luck I called a few numbers in one of the phones and they contacted the Hotel they were at which was only a mile away. So I got to return them.

Then on the way home I decided to stop at the grocery store. Guess what there was a Brand new I think I phone or whatever you call those big screen cell phones lol. Went inside the store so I could see and got lucky the first number said HOME lol. That killed me lol. Got the persons Wife and she said well I was wondering what happened since my husband just pulled up in the driveway and then left lol. I said well he must be on his way back here lol. I said so what does he look like so I can keep an eye out. She said oh that is easy he is 6 foot 7 and in his late 60's lol. And she really did thank me since she just got the expensive phone for him the day before lol. And yep he was easy to spot lol. Gave him his phone back lol.

I hope one day I get that lucky lol. :)

[BD]

I found an entire campsite on the Kennebec river years ago. I'd pulled my raft load of guests into an eddy across from Carry Brook, (the only place a road gets near the river in that 13 mile stretch), and looking down in about 5 feet of water I saw a fire ring, two backpacks some cookware and some tent poles. Looking around the eddy I found some clothes, trash and odds and ends floating. No ID on any of it and no unknown cars at Carry Brook. It had to have just happened due to the daily hydroelectric dam release I was riding, so I picked up what I could and brought it along downriver to West Forks. I looked around the take out, talked to everyone I ran into about it, and put up notes in the two local stores. I left the stuff at one of the stores and at the end of that summer no one had heard a word about it. I used the better of the two backpacks for years. Weird that something like that could happen, and the folks would just light out without telling anyone local.
BD

[3006guns]

A friend's son was walking home from school in our area a few years ago and saw a scratched up gun case laying in the ditch. He retrieved it and found an untouched Winchester model 70 (with scope) inside. When he got home his Dad called the Sheriff and they picked it up. After 30 days they returned it to him as no one had claimed it and running the serial had turned up nothing.

The only thing we can figure is that some hunter left it on top of his pickup and drove off.

[bowfin]

3 months later I went to the PD to see if it had been claimed. It hadn't. I said I wanted it back. They said no way! All turned in items get sold at auction and the city keeps the money.

It would have been interesting to know if the ring ever made it to the auction. That is also why I took the stuff directly to the victims and told them it was their choice if they wanted to bring the cops in on it.

[blackthorn]

A few years ago I walked into a mall, and on the floor just inside the doors was an envelope with the weeks reciepts from a business in it. I went looking for mall security but before I found them I saw a very distraught lady sort of franticly walking toward the entrance looking all around. She had a ledger in her hand so I stopped her and asked if she had lost something and she said yes the weeks reciepts from her work place. I asked her the name of the business and she told me. That was one happy lady!

[Bret4207]

I had dozens of people turn thugs in, everything from truck caps to rings, wallets, purses, fishing gear, skidder chains, boats, motorcycles, about a zillion bicycles, tools, etc. In all cases if the lawful owner could be found the property was returned to him. If the owner couldn't be located then the property went to the finder if he wanted it. In the few cases I can think of where the finder didn't want it there was quite a problem created. Usually we'd manage to find a charity or church or civic group that could make use if it. In no case was the property stolen from the system.

I really hate to see the baseless innuendo and fantasy from the "Politics and OT" section carried over into the "Our Town" section. Leave it there.

[ubetcha]

I found a New England Arms 12ga single shotgun.The stock was really weathered and had to soak the action in Kroil to get it open to see if it was loaded,which it was't.The bore was spotless and very shiney like brand new.Called the Sheriff Dept in case it was stolen.They took it back to the department and ran the numbers.Not stolen.Went through the neccessary procedures about posting the found item as needed.No one claimed it ,so I turned it into a turkey gun.Had the muzzle threaded for a choke,put a decellerator recoil pad on and have taken many a turkey with it.

[rockrat]

Bowfin, I think you could have filed a claim for the ring. At least you could have gotten what they sold it for. Course, after lawyers fees, you might not have come out any better.

[Pigslayer]

not around here. I found a diamond ring on a school playground a few years back with my metal detector. Told the principal that i had it and gave her my number in case anyone came into the school to report it missing. She called the cops on me and they insisted that i give them the ring. 3 months later i went to the pd to see if it had been claimed. It hadn't. I said i wanted it back. They said no way! All turned in items get sold at auction and the city keeps the money.

go fiqure!! Those cops lied.

[3006guns]

A few years ago I walked into a mall, and on the floor just inside the doors was an envelope with the weeks reciepts from a business in it. I went looking for mall security but before I found them I saw a very distraught lady sort of franticly walking toward the entrance looking all around. She had a ledger in her hand so I stopped her and asked if she had lost something and she said yes the weeks reciepts from her work place. I asked her the name of the business and she told me. That was one happy lady!

..and that sir, is why I hang around this forum. The members here have common sense, courtesy and honestly as their badges of honor. My hat's off to you.

[Sonnypie]

My wife was at the market one day in the check out line.
There was a young Mother ahead of her with two sick little kids. One in the cart, and one on her hip. Clean, but in 2nd or 3rd hand clothes.
She had some essentials on the belt like milk, cereal, bread, peanut butter, and cold medicines for children. No junk food, only wholesome necessities, not even jelly. Obviously only for her children.
The tab was more than she had, and she began setting aside some of those essentials trying to get it to what small amount she had.
My wife was watching all this and saw she could help. She took a $20 from her purse folded in her hand and stooped down. When she stood up, she said to the young Mother, "You dropped this."
The young Mother, startled, said, "No, no...I didn't."
My wife insisted as she held the money out to her, "Yes. You did, I saw it."
Realizing a total stranger wanted to help her, the young mother took the 20 and got her needs, and Thanked my wife.
When she got home she told me about her act of kindness. We really could not afford to give away the 20 at that time. We had to scrimp around it.
I took her in my arms and hugged her. I told her God had found his Angel of Mercy there in the line at the market.
I've never been more proud of her in my life.
A Random act of kindness.
One Mother helping another.

Given the chance to choose, most will choose right.

Sometimes, Angels walk amongst us... ;-)
You know who you are.

[snuffy]

About five years ago, my son and his wife were shopping for a new diamond ring. Somehow his wallet came out of his pocket, landing on the ground outside the jewelry store. I got a call from a nice lady that she had found "something" with his name on it. She wouldn't be specific, just asked me if I knew him, she had simply looked up our last name in the phone book. She got lucky to get me, we're a huge family in the fox valley.

I called him, he was about to call me to tell me he'd lost his wallet. He got in touch with her, she returned the wallet and firmly refused any reward. He finally asked if he could make a donation in her name, she gave him the address of her church, which he donated some $ to.

Replacing a wallet is a major PITA. All those C-cards, DL, permits, have to be replaced.

There's some good people left in this world. Unfortunately the bad guys outnumber us. It's a privilege and honor to be a member of this forum.

[StrawHat]

go fiqure!! Those cops lied.


If you have any proof of that, let's hear it. Otherwise...

I owre a badge for twelve years and as much as Bozos like to cut the PD down, the truth is most of the departments and the guys who wear the badge are decent. Yeah, there are a couple who have disgraced the badge but I am willing to bet there are a couple in everytrade who are disgraceful.

[snglstack]

Many years ago my son and I pulled up to a shooting spot in the national forest. There were what looked like a grandpa and grandson there just finishing up their shooting and leaving. They had a Marlin 336 leaning against the front of the car and they just drove off and ran over it (not w/tires). I picked it up, levered out four live rounds (it was cocked!!) and lay it in the back of my pickup. About a half hour later here they come back, looking mighty sheepish, and grateful, as we coulda took off with it.

[Bret4207]

go fiqure!! Those cops lied.

Are you completely familiar with the protocol where this took place? Do you even know where this took place? If not then your claim that anyone lied is baseless. Different places have different rules for how these things are handled, usually based on State laws. Saying anyone is lying without the pertinent information is no more than speculation at best.

The proper way to handle found property is to notify your local police. It might be found property, it might be the proceeds from a burglary, larceny or robbery. Considering it "free stuff" is about the same as stealing it yourself if there is any chance of it being returned to the owner. And in some cases not making any attempt to turn it in is breaking the law. Of course I'm sure no one here would be as stupid as the creep I arrested that found a $4000.00 check in the parking lot of a junk yard and then cashed it. His defense? "Finders keepers, losers weepers." Seriously.

[WD2A7X3]

Do all the prescription drugs have the same name on them? If not or even if so, it sounds like some stolen loot someone paniced and ditched.

[35Whelen]

Remember one day, many years ago, when my wife and I were so dirt poor. I was driving along a road coming up to a red light. I saw what looked like a wallet lying on the road. My wife leaned out the truck door as I came to a stop. She opened the wallet as we drove along.....couldn't believe our eyes. Inside were 12 brand new $100 dollar bills. There wasn't much in the wallet to ID the owner, but I pulled a few strings with some resources I had and found the fellow. He had just been paid for his first job in a very long time and was riding his bicycle home with his wallet in his back pocket, and must have fallen out. Turns out this young man was providing for his entire family of 5 who had fallen on hard times, with father and mother out of work.

He offered a reward of $40 when we met up...but he looked like he needed it way more than I did, so I refused it..

Felt pretty good after all was said and done....but it was sure tempting at the time to toss the wallet and keep the cash. We didn't even have enough in our pockets that Christmas to buy a string of Christmas tree lights if they burned out.

I am sure that we made that young mans day....and hopefully one day he will pass on the same act of good will.

Follow your heart and you will never make a wrong decision

[Janoosh]

I was riding out of a shopping mall, my friend was driving, when I saw, in the middle of the road, what looked like a wallet. I yell to my friend to stop, I jump out and grab it, and it was a wallet. With a little over $300 in it. It had all I'd's, registration, credit cards,etc. In it. I tore the wallet apart looking for a phone number, and folded inside was a receipt from a jewelry store with a number. I call the guy and tell him who I am and where I,ll be, as I had his wallet. I was the president of a sportsman's club at the time and only told him the address to pick it up at. I'm a joker at heart.. So when he showed up, meeting night, he asked where I was, and I naturally asked for some ID. We all had a big laugh. He offered a reward, I turned it down. It just wasn't right to keep it.

[Longwood]

I was walking back up the hiway to pick up a wrench that fell off of my truck and found a wallet that had a big chain on it.
No money, but a pretty large baggie of white powder.
I looked him up and gave it to him. He offered me a toke and a joint. I took the joint. Gooood stuff.:bigsmyl2:
Yesterday i was walking out of the small country Post Office when the old geezer (like me) dropped his wallet and kept right on going. He could hardly hear and was sure happy when I gave it back to him.
Here lately, I have been buying burritos for the people I see standing with "I need work" signs.
I have never been there, but I have been very close a time or two.

[Rockydog]

In 1983 or 84 our local bank was robbed. The bank president was kidnapped and forced to drive the lone gunman out into the country. He got out of the car on my property. Next thing I know there are about 40 local and not so local (FBI) deputies, sworn Sheriffs auxilary members etc. combing my entire 120 acres looking for this guy or evidence. I was grilled about my where abouts at the time the robbery occured. They ran a background check etc. They combed my place for 3 days with volunteer firemen etc. Found a brief case, a halloween mask and a couple of boxes of 44 mag. cartridges but no cash. A week later I found the cash stuffed inside a piece of my farm machinery parked on the back forty. I promptly called the Sheriff. I didn't even touch it. There was over $40,000 of unmarked cash taken from the night deposit box inside a brief case and garbage bag. For my trouble I sat between two FBI agents in the back of a squad car for better than an hour. They already had a suspect. They wanted to know how well I knew this guy. I'd never met the man. Wanted to know my involvement. Said if they found out I was involved and simply turned chicken they'd find out so i'd better come clean while I could. Etc. etc. I was young and stupid never thought to call an attorney. Luckily they had already checked me out I guess because eventually they shook my hand and thanked me for being forthright with them. FBI said the recovery reward should be about $4000 bucks. The bank gave me $1000. I had many sleepless nights wondering if this guy was going to come looking for me to get even etc. It took about 4 months for the trial to even start and he was out on bail the whole time, living about 3 miles away. He pled guilty to robbery in exchange for dropping the kidnap charge. Some of the local people were amazing. I had people criticize me for butting in to his business. "The bank is insured, he must have really needed it and after all he went through to get it you stole it from him." "If you hadn't butted in he'd be a free man." They were dead serious. I was incredulous. A couple were so vehement that I stayed away from social functions in town for a bit. I expected no reward when I turned it in. The money was appreciated as I was dead broke at the time, but I'd have turned it in money or not. I'd do it again if it ever happened again. But sometimes the old saw of no good deed goes unpunished rings a bit true. My only gain in the whole thing is having a unique story to share once in a while and the personal pride in doing the right thing. RD

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Not any woods down here close by just open desert.. near heaven for a 2 wheeler type.
Most Peruvians are "finders keepers" and always on the prowl for any loose unattended item so not much of any value gets left sitting long. Did find a FAL magazine at an infantry range one day while "exploring" a hillside for brass and lead.
Mike in Peru

[9.3X62AL]

In 1983 or 84 our local bank was robbed. The bank president was kidnapped and forced to drive the lone gunman out into the country. He got out of the car on my property. Next thing I know there are about 40 local and not so local (FBI) deputies, sworn Sheriffs auxilary members etc. combing my entire 120 acres looking for this guy or evidence. I was grilled about my where abouts at the time the robbery occured. They ran a background check etc. They combed my place for 3 days with volunteer firemen etc. Found a brief case, a halloween mask and a couple of boxes of 44 mag. cartridges but no cash. A week later I found the cash stuffed inside a piece of my farm machinery parked on the back forty. I promptly called the Sheriff. I didn't even touch it. There was over $40,000 of unmarked cash taken from the night deposit box inside a brief case and garbage bag. For my trouble I sat between two FBI agents in the back of a squad car for better than an hour. They already had a suspect. They wanted to know how well I knew this guy. I'd never met the man. Wanted to know my involvement. Said if they found out I was involved and simply turned chicken they'd find out so i'd better come clean while I could. Etc. etc. I was young and stupid never thought to call an attorney. Luckily they had already checked me out I guess because eventually they shook my hand and thanked me for being forthright with them. FBI said the recovery reward should be about $4000 bucks. The bank gave me $1000. I had many sleepless nights wondering if this guy was going to come looking for me to get even etc. It took about 4 months for the trial to even start and he was out on bail the whole time, living about 3 miles away. He pled guilty to robbery in exchange for dropping the kidnap charge. Some of the local people were amazing. I had people criticize me for butting in to his business. "The bank is insured, he must have really needed it and after all he went through to get it you stole it from him." "If you hadn't butted in he'd be a free man." They were dead serious. I was incredulous. A couple were so vehement that I stayed away from social functions in town for a bit. I expected no reward when I turned it in. The money was appreciated as I was dead broke at the time, but I'd have turned it in money or not. I'd do it again if it ever happened again. But sometimes the old saw of no good deed goes unpunished rings a bit true. My only gain in the whole thing is having a unique story to share once in a while and the personal pride in doing the right thing. RD

If those moron Federales started mad dogging me like that, my response would have been "You're welcome, azzhats--now either charge me or release me." I had cause to do so once, and it kinda spoiled their whole interview. When you assume everyone you contact concerning a case is guilty of something, you taint a case--sometimes irrepairably. Feds.......hijo la!

[Hardcast416taylor]

Being an old f**t I watch the sidewalk in front of me, looking for a dropped penny or other change, being raised to not walk by any loose change other people will turn up their noses at. I was with the old Frau coming out of a nice mall into the snow a few years back. I spotted something in the slush and as always I picked it up. It was a gold chain with a broken clasp. I went back in the mall and turned it into the security dept. that said after 30 days I could claim it. I did claim it after a month, the chain was too fine a link to be repaired easily and cheaply I was told. My jewelry friend made an amulet of it for my Frau`s charm bracelet. He said the "junk" value of the gold was in the $75 range as it was a long chain that had various sized parts. Sometimes I embarrass my Frau with my actions and sometimes she says she is so proud of me for doing what I do.Robert

[clintsfolly]

Found the same guys wallet twice the first time he accused me of taking his cash. There was nothing as far as cash in it! The second time two week later there was but in a kind moment he donated the cash to the local Boy Scout troop and he never know it!! Just dropped it in his mail box and walked away! Sometime karma will bit you big time!! Clint

[cajun shooter]

To the poster about the so called crooked cops, I would like to add something for you.
Most all LEO work within a set of regulations that are very close to military ones.
Every department large or small has a set of regulations on how to handle what is referred to as found property.
First thing is a file number is pulled and a full report is written about the incident. It contains the person who found and turned in the property and all of their personal information. It includes a full detailed description on the item along with pictures taken by the officer. It states anything said to them by the finder, such as location, time of day and so on.
There is a time period in every jurisdiction that is gone by for the owner to be found by the police or they contact them for the property.
If no one comes forward in the allotted time frame, in almost all cities and counties the item is returned to the original finder.
I have never seen nor heard of any police department keeping any found property to be sold.
Instead of words I for one would like to have the name of the department of lying cops so that I might investigate the incident myself. I would also like to see the departments rules and regulations book.
This sounds like another bad cop story that has no truth to back it up.
I served for 15 years and would have retired if not for politics and a huge ugly divorce that wiped me out both physically and mentally. I had to resign to get out of town before I did something stupid that was against my character. Later David

[NSP64]

A couple of weeks ago we were doing a heavy check on a airliner that just came out of service 20 minutes prior. While tearing out the seats, I find an IPAD in the seat back pocket. I turned it in to the company, with the seat number the person would have been in. I would like to think that they got it back to the owner.

[Hardcast416taylor]

The dept. that I wore a badge for had the 30 day policy, this was 30 yr. ago. My son `s dept. that he was a sgt. also has the 30 day policy for turned in items. I hate to say it, but it almost sounds like a girl friend or wife got a gift.Robert

[ErikO]

Follow your heart and you will never make a wrong decision

Random acts of kindness and charity are what keep this world from going right into the pooper.