If you find a large sum of money, do you have a right to kee

quichebradford

This is a true story, happened in Chicago last month, you may have heard about it.

A man found a duffel bag full of money buried in his back yard. He turned it in to the police. After further investigation, they found more bags in the yard, for a total of about 150k. We were talking about the story here at work, most of my co-workers say that they would have kept the money and that the guy was stupid for turning it in. Others say the money is not theirs so they have no right to keep it. What would you do? Would you turn the money in, or assume your “ship has come in” and keep it?

ket_the_jet

Buried on his property? I'd probably put it in escrow for a while, collect interest, make sure no one was trying to kill me for it, then move away and keep it.

As for found, it depends on the circumstance. If I see someone drop money, I'd return it. If I am walking down a lonesome street and stumble upon $20, that's lunch.
-wtk

BGabbart

I would have to turn it in, I feel if I were to try and spend it they would trace it back to some bank robbery or it would be counterfiet or something. I wonder how long it had been there. Where was the person who put it there to start with.

macpatti

I would turn it in. Don't think I could live with the guilt knowing I didn't.

Iamfit4life

I'd love to say I would turn it in.

Wait it was buried?

I don't know. I'm a single mom and that money would literally be a lifesaver right now.
At the same time, I'm a big believer in karma.

I don't freaking know. Wrong day to ask.

jennajava

We were talking about the story here at work, most of my co-workers say that they would have kept the money and that the guy was stupid for turning it in. Others say the money is not theirs so they have no right to keep it. What would you do? Would you turn the money in, or assume your “ship has come in” and keep it?

It is really sad that we live in a society where anyone should have to question what is morally right. Since when did morals become an option?

netchik

My Dad found a very large sum of money in a breifcase (!) and turned it in... In some countries if it isn't claimed within a certain amount of time you get to keep it... so clear conscience and a reward. This was many years ago and sadly, (at least for my inheritance LOL) the breifcase was claimed!

bry_all01

That's a really tough question. On one hand, it IS my yard, but then on the other, it was buried by someone else for a reason... Not knowing the exact rhyme or reason would bother me.

What would YOU do, OP?

jesshall281

finders keepers, losers weepers.

gel91

Being honest it would be a HUGE battle for me. Just half that money would change mine and my babys life forever. But, I guess whats the point in money if you can't enjoy it, and are constantly looking over your shoulder 'just incase' so I guess, as hard as it would be (and I would put serious thought into it!) i'd hand it in, and hope for the best.

I'm sure theres laws where if it's not claimed in a certain amount of time and it's legit money you can get it back!

Sh1tsRainbows

if i found it on the street id probably turn it in cause someone lost it but if it was buried on my property its mine!!!!!!

nakabi

What if you were the one who had lost the money or buried it? Would you want someone to be honest and turn it in? I would

prettyfitchick

if it was a check I would have gave it back but 150K cash buried in my yard would be called a gift from God

jennajava

What if you were the one who had lost the money or buried it? Would you want someone to be honest and turn it in? I would

exactly.

ItsCasey

If it's on my property and I don't know who put it there or why, it belongs to me. I'd keep it, and I wouldn't feel the least bit guilty about it.

Now, if I find someone's purse or wallet or find a huge sum of money on someone else's property, that's a different story.

CreativeRedhead

If it was buried in my yard, I'd totally keep it. To quote a favorite of my kids, "finders keepers, losers weepers".

Outside of my property, I return lost things.

therobinator

How long did he own the house before he found the money there? If no one was looking for it for years and years and years (i.e. whoever buried it forgot about it or abandoned it for some reason), then finders keepers?

laurad1406

What if you were the one who had lost the money or buried it? Would you want someone to be honest and turn it in? I would

I try to avoid burying 150k on other people's property.

in all seriousness, like someone else said I'd be more worried that it was crime-money and a pack of drug dealers or something would come looking for me and my family.

Queen_Christine

I think I would first examine the legal aspect... do I own or rent the residence where it was found. if I own the land it is my legal right to keep it. If I rent, it technically belongs to my landlord. Next, If I own it, how long have I owned it for. If I just bought it last week, I still have the right to keep it but I would feel guilty and I'm not sure how I would handle that.
Next I would research as much as I could, while keeping this secret, to try to find news / info that could lead to the root of how this money was acquired. If I found out the previous owner was a suspect in a bank robbery then I would probably turn in the money. if I could not find out the source I would probably keep it. But I would have exhaust all efforts before I could be comfortable with is decision.

chyloet

We were talking about the story here at work, most of my co-workers say that they would have kept the money and that the guy was stupid for turning it in. Others say the money is not theirs so they have no right to keep it. What would you do? Would you turn the money in, or assume your “ship has come in” and keep it?

It is really sad that we live in a society where anyone should have to question what is morally right. Since when did morals become an option?

I think that the question is posing the question of what is morally correct not wether or not you should do the morally correct thing ... If the money is buried on your property: Is there anything morally incorrect about keeping it? I don't think so. But I would have turned it in. Only for fear that the money was ill gotten by the person who buried it (why else would you bury cash?) and therefore would be tracked back to me.

quichebradford

That's a really tough question. On one hand, it IS my yard, but then on the other, it was buried by someone else for a reason... Not knowing the exact rhyme or reason would bother me.

What would YOU do, OP?

I would turn it in. I've heard that if money turned in isn't claimed then you get to have it back. It it's meant for me to have, I will get it that way. That's all I need is to be running from the original owners (killers and drug dealers...cause they're the ONLY ones who bury money in back yards right?) in my dreams! :laugh:

jennajava

We were talking about the story here at work, most of my co-workers say that they would have kept the money and that the guy was stupid for turning it in. Others say the money is not theirs so they have no right to keep it. What would you do? Would you turn the money in, or assume your “ship has come in” and keep it?

It is really sad that we live in a society where anyone should have to question what is morally right. Since when did morals become an option?

If I'm not the original owner of the property, I am going to assume it was buried by previous owner, and therefore does not belong to me.

I think that the question is posing the question of what is morally correct not wether or not you should do the morally correct thing ... If the money is buried on your property: Is there anything morally incorrect about keeping it? I don't think so. But I would have turned it in. Only for fear that the money was ill gotten by the person who buried it (why else would you bury cash?) and therefore would be tracked back to me.

jennajava

We were talking about the story here at work, most of my co-workers say that they would have kept the money and that the guy was stupid for turning it in. Others say the money is not theirs so they have no right to keep it. What would you do? Would you turn the money in, or assume your “ship has come in” and keep it?

It is really sad that we live in a society where anyone should have to question what is morally right. Since when did morals become an option?

I think that the question is posing the question of what is morally correct not wether or not you should do the morally correct thing ... If the money is buried on your property: Is there anything morally incorrect about keeping it? I don't think so. But I would have turned it in. Only for fear that the money was ill gotten by the person who buried it (why else would you bury cash?) and therefore would be tracked back to me.

This wasn't supposed to be in the quote. Oops!
If I'm not the original owner of the property, I am going to assume it was buried by previous owner, and therefore does not belong to me.

ket_the_jet

What if you were the one who had lost the money or buried it? Would you want someone to be honest and turn it in? I would

I can't tell if you are kidding. If I buried it on my property and then moved, then that is my fault.

If I buried it on someone's property despite never living there, I would know I was taking a risk that the owner would never find it and hope that, if I tried to recover it, he or she would at least be smart enough to press trespassing charges.

It's easy to be a pillar of morality on the internet, but let's face it--if it was buried on your property, you'd probably keep it.

That said, in this particular story, the money *wasn't* buried. It was just in two duffle bags inside his fence by his garden. But...he had been unemployed for over two years. So...now what do you do?
-wtk

AngelikaLumiere

Recently there was a news story about someone buying a house and finding money in the house. Turned out the house was an estate sale and the children who sold the house didn't know their parent had been hiding money in the house. The new owner bought the house and contents (part of the sales contract) but he still turned the money over to the children. I thought about this question then. I think with me it would depend on the amount of money. A couple of hundred dollars and I would probably keep it, but thousands, I would probably have to check that out, try to find out where it came from. I don't think I could keep that much money without "clear title".

jennajava

What if you were the one who had lost the money or buried it? Would you want someone to be honest and turn it in? I would

That said, in this particular story, the money *wasn't* buried. It was just in two duffle bags inside his fence by his garden. But...he had been unemployed for over two years. So...now what do you do?
-wtk

unemployed or not, ***it wasn't his*** so it isn't right.

HOSED49

The former cop in me would tell me to turn it in, of course we have a found property rule here that if no one claims said found property for a year, you get to keep it!
So it would be like playing the lottery for a year, ya got the claim ticket, just gotta hope it wasnt ill gotten money that they could tie into an robbery or burglary. Heck maybe you bought the house from a frugal old man who refused to trust banks and he buried the money, but you know a soon as the news story comes out his family would come calling saying the money should be theirs, so now your in a long legal battle with them!

ItsCasey

If it belonged to the previous owner, then the previous owner should have taken it with them. It's like mineral rights; if you are selling property and you want to retain the mineral rights, you include that in the contract. Otherwise, the mineral rights transfer to the buyer. If I buy property from you and you leave anything behind, it belongs to me.

Now, if I bought property and the previous owner came to me some time later and said "Hey, I buried a bunch of cash in the back yard, and I'd like to get it back," I'd be totally fine with that, as long as they repaired whatever damage was done to the yard in digging it up. But if I never heard from the previous owner, and I happened to discover the money one day while I was digging around in the yard, then the money belongs to me. I have no way of knowing whether or not the previous owner put it there, and I have no legal or moral obligation to find out.

ket_the_jet

unemployed or not, ***it wasn't his*** so it isn't right.

Bullsh*t. It absolutely was his. If a kid hits a baseball into your yard, you have absolutely no obligation to return it. Now, most people would because baseball is awesome and why be a curmudgeon, but there is no legal requirement to return it.
-wtk

ohwhataday

Recently there was a news story about someone buying a house and finding money in the house. Turned out the house was an estate sale and the children who sold the house didn't know their parent had been hiding money in the house. The new owner bought the house and contents (part of the sales contract) but he still turned the money over to the children. I thought about this question then. I think with me it would depend on the amount of money. A couple of hundred dollars and I would probably keep it, but thousands, I would probably have to check that out, try to find out where it came from. I don't think I could keep that much money without "clear title".

What an honorable person!!

ohwhataday

unemployed or not, ***it wasn't his*** so it isn't right.

Bullsh*t. It absolutely was his. If a kid hits a baseball into your yard, you have absolutely no obligation to return it. Now, most people would because baseball is awesome and why be a curmudgeon, but there is no legal requirement to return it.
-wtk

I agree, if the *kitten* is buried in your backyard it's yours!