Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I worked as a public defender in NYC, the cops ran a sting operation called "lucky bag." They'd leave a purse seemingly forgotten in busy area, like a fast food restaurant, and see who took it. Then they'd follow them to see what they did with it. If the person didn't make a move to turn it in, they were arrested.

Ummm, can you say Entrapment?

You have a point there. There may have been other issues at stake.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I worked as a public defender in NYC, the cops ran a sting operation called "lucky bag." They'd leave a purse seemingly forgotten in busy area, like a fast food restaurant, and see who took it. Then they'd follow them to see what they did with it. If the person didn't make a move to turn it in, they were arrested.

Ummm, can you say Entrapment?

Yes. We said it often, and also that the cops didn't wait long enough to see what the person would do before swooping in.

But what I resented was that they were wasting time on this (baiting people who probably otherwise wouldn't commit any crime and weren't even necessarily doing anything wrong when they picked up the bag) instead of patrolling or investigating real crimes.

So sorry OP - but there are still good people who do the right thing, just not around when you left your bag.

I bought groceries and was so distracted while paying and trying to entertain my toddler in the stroller that I left everything at the checkout. The woman behind me RAN to catch me nearly 1/2 block away and give me my groceries.

OP, sorry this happened to you. Not the same but I once had a big package of paper towels fall out of the underneath part of my cart in the parking lot at the grocery store. Did a lap to see if they were there when I realized but they were gone. I don't put things under the cart now. :/

If I'd seen a bag in the parking lot...I think I probably would have assumed trash and not even bothered to look, to be honest. People leave a lot of things behind.

Anonymous wrote:When I worked as a public defender in NYC, the cops ran a sting operation called "lucky bag." They'd leave a purse seemingly forgotten in busy area, like a fast food restaurant, and see who took it. Then they'd follow them to see what they did with it. If the person didn't make a move to turn it in, they were arrested.

Ummm, can you say Entrapment?

I was canvassing for (happened to be Greenpeace) in my younger days, and while going door to door, this guy came up to turn in a wallet. He didn't speak much English, and asked if he should give it to the police, since no one answered the door. I dissuaded him, and we managed to get everything under the door (was the address on the license). Cash included!

There really are good people.

Anonymous wrote:When I worked as a public defender in NYC, the cops ran a sting operation called "lucky bag." They'd leave a purse seemingly forgotten in busy area, like a fast food restaurant, and see who took it. Then they'd follow them to see what they did with it. If the person didn't make a move to turn it in, they were arrested.

This is awesome - and why I *love* NYC. That would never fly in the south - LOL!

When I worked as a public defender in NYC, the cops ran a sting operation called "lucky bag." They'd leave a purse seemingly forgotten in busy area, like a fast food restaurant, and see who took it. Then they'd follow them to see what they did with it. If the person didn't make a move to turn it in, they were arrested.

18:19 I would tell my daughter it was her lucky day and to thank the unlucky person who lost the tops.

I hate to pick up money from the floor as I consider this a test for my morals. I will feel very uneasy unless I donate it away. I am trying to teach my kids the same thing, but they are always very thrilled to pick up toys left behind from other kids.

This thread is making me realize that my parents did a good job. Since it is anon, I will add another story. In undergrad, I found $5. (not a lot, but when you are broke, like I was, it is a ton of money) on the floor of the huge public library while doing research. I looked around, and no one appeared to be looking for anything, so I brought it with me on the way home and gave it to charity (Salvation Army) on the way.

Hopefully it went to good use - someone who needed it more than me. I would like to think I am not the only one who would do this, and am happy to read there are some nice people here! (I agree with PP that there are some nasty people, too!)

At a Bank of America (the same branch both times), someone left their ATM card sticking out, and I turned it in.

At a Wells Fargo drive thru ATM, someone left $40 out (branch was closed at the time) and a week later, I turned it inside the branch. The receipt also showed the balance, and this person didn't have a lot of money, so I don't think it was on purpose (this was in December). The bank had a hard time figuring out how to get a record of the transaction to get the money back to the proper owner, and I have no idea if the owner got the money back or not.

I left a coat inside JcPenney once, didn't realize it till days later for some reason, and no one turned it in.

Bottom line, some people have morals, others do not. What's interesting with the OP is whomever took the clothes, for one, it probably didn't fit them, and two, it probably went on eBay or Craigslist for easy money.

Anonymous wrote:I once found over $50 cash wth a receipt in the parking lot at office max--it was change from a $100 bill. There was a store rewards card number on it so I took it to customer service and asked them to look up the customer. They were shocked that I turned it in.

Last month I left my purse in a Safeway cart and didn't realize it until the next morning. Panicked and called them and they had it--everything there, even the cash that was shoved in the outside pocket.

I turned one in at Safeway last month. I hope it was yours!

I once found over $50 cash wth a receipt in the parking lot at office max--it was change from a $100 bill. There was a store rewards card number on it so I took it to customer service and asked them to look up the customer. They were shocked that I turned it in.

Last month I left my purse in a Safeway cart and didn't realize it until the next morning. Panicked and called them and they had it--everything there, even the cash that was shoved in the outside pocket.

I lost my wallet once. Was turned in perfectly in tact, including over $200!in cash

My heart grew 3 sizes that day.