Would you return lost property?

[Arrrhalomynn]

I had to read an article by Mark D. West for sociology of Law. This good man conducted an experiment to see if finders of lost property in Japan return more lost property than finders in the United States.

For this experiment he dropped a whole bunch of phones and wallets in New York and Tokyo. These had little extraneous information apart from a phone number and an address. The wallet contained 20 dollars or 2000 yen. The phone is just regular cell phone, no uberfancy technological marvel.

I was wondering how our forum would hold up against his results . What would you do? Please keep in mind that you can vote more than one option!

With returning the phone I mean either to the owner or to the police. Or perhaps to a store if you found it in front of it.

[Sauza12]

I would return whatever I found.  It's not worth the karmic retribution I'd recieve keeping it.

That and me paranoia would automatically make me assume that someone is watching me.  

[captain_nintendo]

If the information was in said wallet or phone I would return them.

[bum-man]

This just happened to me, I found a cell phone in the parking lot at work a couple of months ago.  I turned it in at our security desk (who in turn gave it to the guy that lost it.)  I guess if I really needed the money I might keep the money and return the wallet with out the cash.  My wife lost her wallet and the worst part was replacing all the ID and canceling the Credit Cards and stuff.

[Tynstar]

I found a phone a few weeks ago. I looked throught the numbers and saw one labeled Mom so I called that and told them I had found a phone. A teenage kid shopwed up a few minutes later and picked it up.

[den68]

If the item had any identification on it I would of course return it, or contact the person and let them pick it up. If it was a wallet or purse with no ID I'd turn it into the cops and let them handle it.

I've never found a wallet but I have found a few phones. One time at a red light I spotted a cell phone sitting on the back bumber of the car ahead of me. I jumped out of my car and took the phone to the driver. She was a little startled at first but then quite happy that i rescued her phone.

I once found a lost dog. I took it in my yard and called the police, sure enough someone had reported it missing and they showed up an hour later to retrieve their pet.

Now if I spot a twenny blowing down the street, that baby is mine.

[Antimind]

I found a purse and a ring, both when I was a kid. I returned the purse to the owner but the ring I turned in to the country club (that's where I found it). I knew which woman the ring belonged to cause I talked to her all the time... Anyway, the ring never made it back to her. If I ever find anything again I'll be damn sure I'm the one that gets it to the owner in one piece.

[Zimbacca]

I'd return the wallet with the money untouched (unless I was put in a situation where I really needed it) if I found it and same with the phone.  

Although if I find money openly lying on the ground, then I keep it.  The most I've ever found was 15 bucks.

[Izret101]

I would return the wallet and the phone.

I have also lost my wallet and had it returned to me, once and there was no money in it in the first place. And noone would be able to do anything with the buisness cards i had in there anyways.

Edit
Like freak said money out in the open is free game.

[CatchFiveBats]

I would return the wallet and the phone.  I know that if I lost either of those things myself I would want them back, and I wouldn't be able to handle the fact that I didn't give back something that someone really needs returned to them.

[thx1138]

I have in my mispent druggy/drop out days, kept them.
These days I would always retrun them.

[thx1138]

I once found a lost dog. I took it in my yard and called the police, sure enough someone had reported it missing and they showed up an hour later to retrieve their pet.

I was out front, talking to my neighbour, when a stray dog ran into my house. LOL It ran up the stairs, and back down again, then out into the road, then back into the house, and then my dogs saw it, and thought "great a play mate", and then they all disappeared into the kitchen. This dog was covered in river mud.

as it ran out the house again, I dive on it, and caught it by the collar. It was a goofy labrador cross breed, and quite happy, and oblivious to the fact that iwas lost.

I phoned the owner, who told me that the dog was locked in the back yard.....

The dog was called Scruffy, and the owner was his wits end, cos it was so naughty. I wanted to adpot it, but mrs.thx wouldn't let me, cos we already have two dogs.

[Tynstar]

Get the dog! I had 2 dogs and ended up getting a third.

[thx1138]

she had a point though. Whilst my dumpster diving, 2nd hand, wheeler dealer lifestyle gets us by, vets don't yet, barter, as far as I know.

2 lots of dog insurance, and vets bills, is bad enough. Couldn't afford 3.

and we'd have to neuter it, and get it tagged too.

[terzi]

i would return the wallet if it had any identification in it or any real amount of money but if it had like 20 bucks i would keep it and the phone i would return          now money on the ground is mine