Found, is it mine?
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RescueMan
Rope Rescue Specialist
The conventionally-accepted practice is:
- if it's something of obvious value, try to contact the owner or report the find to the police. If no one then claims it within some specified period of time, it's yours.
- Robert
- if it's something of obvious value, try to contact the owner or report the find to the police. If no one then claims it within some specified period of time, it's yours.
- Robert
rbtree
Addicted to ArboristSite
Case 2 happened to me, when my 1st 335 Cali was a month old, and fell off the chipper where we'd stupidly left it.
Problem is with whoever found it, how would they know what to do with it? If they put it off to the side of the road, someone else would come along and take it.....
It was 2-3 hours later before I drove back to look, and of course it was gone. I should have contacted the police, but didnt think whoever found it would report it...but they could well have.
An extremely thoughtful person night try calling a dealer to see if there is any system in place to track the serial number to the owner or where it was sold.
Problem is with whoever found it, how would they know what to do with it? If they put it off to the side of the road, someone else would come along and take it.....
It was 2-3 hours later before I drove back to look, and of course it was gone. I should have contacted the police, but didnt think whoever found it would report it...but they could well have.
An extremely thoughtful person night try calling a dealer to see if there is any system in place to track the serial number to the owner or where it was sold.
Lumberjack
Banned
Case 1:
Try to give it back, professional curtesy. Why would a stump grinder have a ladder? I would put it in my truck and try to catch up with him, or get the company name.
Case 2:
If it is a busy street (gonna get ran over) then I would take it, exspecially if it was a pro, not a homeowner saw. It would be likely it fell off the truck.
It is always better to try and give the stuff back. One day you will be workin, and they will drive by and see there junk, and take yours.
If you try to give it back, and honestly cant, then you just got a ladder and a saw!!
Why not tell what you would do too.
Try to give it back, professional curtesy. Why would a stump grinder have a ladder? I would put it in my truck and try to catch up with him, or get the company name.
Case 2:
If it is a busy street (gonna get ran over) then I would take it, exspecially if it was a pro, not a homeowner saw. It would be likely it fell off the truck.
It is always better to try and give the stuff back. One day you will be workin, and they will drive by and see there junk, and take yours.
If you try to give it back, and honestly cant, then you just got a ladder and a saw!!
Why not tell what you would do too.
Victor Tucker
ArboristSite Lurker
Ethics Shmethics
Re Case 1, I once set a ladder down at the end of my driveway and came back in an hour to find it gone.
If the owner saw it fly off the truck, taking it would be pure thievery and also quite risky if the owner sees you.
Case 2, look for ID on the saw. Many retail outlets will put one of their stickers on it. If there is none, you could look for a serial number and report finding it to Stihl. Taking it without trying to find the owner might result in your stuff growing legs: the "Do Unto Others" karma will run over "Finders Keepers" dogma every time, one way or the other.
Re Case 1, I once set a ladder down at the end of my driveway and came back in an hour to find it gone.
If the owner saw it fly off the truck, taking it would be pure thievery and also quite risky if the owner sees you.Case 2, look for ID on the saw. Many retail outlets will put one of their stickers on it. If there is none, you could look for a serial number and report finding it to Stihl. Taking it without trying to find the owner might result in your stuff growing legs: the "Do Unto Others" karma will run over "Finders Keepers" dogma every time, one way or the other.
I think the best policy is always to report things of value that you find. You shouldn't have to take out an ad in the paper, but at least notify the police and report it. Also, if you lose the item, report that as well. If it's a pro saw, some homeowners may not realize it and report it to the police anyway. I tend to believe that most people are honest for the most part. If no one claims the item, it's yours with a clear conscience.
murphy4trees
Addicted to ArboristSite
I was driving home in a truck with a buddy and he gasped and pointed to a saw sitting on the opposite side of a busy road at rush hour... Since I was driving... I pulled over, jumped out and ran across the street collected the booty and claimed it as mine... kind of a joke cause it was an old beater that i have no use for..
The guy who spotted it ended up taking it out of my shed and I never said a word... now it takes up space in his garage... don't know if he ever uses it but he does borrow my 044s from time to time so its not doing him too much good...
About the same time I was visiting a friend who showed me an ascender,saying Bobby Bascome ( a local arborist) must have left it in his yard when he was pruning the tree next door... I through it in the truck and meant to call him, but ended up driving by his jobsight while he was in a tree... So I stopped and yelled up to him where I had got his tool and left it under the tree... I think that was the respectful thing to do... Hope he'd do it for me...
The guy who spotted it ended up taking it out of my shed and I never said a word... now it takes up space in his garage... don't know if he ever uses it but he does borrow my 044s from time to time so its not doing him too much good...
About the same time I was visiting a friend who showed me an ascender,saying Bobby Bascome ( a local arborist) must have left it in his yard when he was pruning the tree next door... I through it in the truck and meant to call him, but ended up driving by his jobsight while he was in a tree... So I stopped and yelled up to him where I had got his tool and left it under the tree... I think that was the respectful thing to do... Hope he'd do it for me...
treeman82
Addicted to ArboristSite
When I have things of value, I engrave my phone # and initials on it. Like that, should it ever be found I can actually claim it as mine and have proof. Not only that... should a good person find it, they will most likely find that number, and hopefully call to return it.
SilverBlue
Addicted to ArboristSite
Don't you hate that sinking feeling you get when you realize you lost that expensive item? Similar to innocently driving down the road and seeing a cop with a radar gun pointed at you (even if you are doing the speed limit):angel:
Anyways, if there is a serial number on it you are in possession of stolen property even if your intentions are good. Drop it off to the authorities and see if there is a claim on it, if not after the prescribed time then claim it before it's sent to auction.
Ladders? Geez there are more ladders found on the highways here than new mattresses blown off car roofs nobody buys a ladder around here!
Anyways, if there is a serial number on it you are in possession of stolen property even if your intentions are good. Drop it off to the authorities and see if there is a claim on it, if not after the prescribed time then claim it before it's sent to auction.
Ladders? Geez there are more ladders found on the highways here than new mattresses blown off car roofs nobody buys a ladder around here!
JonnyHart
ArboristSite Operative
Both cases, I'd report it to the police, so somewhere down the road you aren't accused of possesion of stolen property. Any pro that cares about their ladder will stencil the company name on the side of it. At least the person may learn a lesson about stowing their gear when they're on the road.
NickfromWI
Addicted to ArboristSite
Once while at the Post Office in Oceanside, CA I found an envelope with 630.00 in it. It was unmarked. I wrote my name number and address on a piece of paper and brought it to the people at the counter. I told them what I found and if someone called me telling how much money it was and what kind of envelope it was I would bring it back. They sort of demanded that I turn the money in to them (the post office) and let them take care of it. They said if it wasn't claimed in 7 days, the money was mine. I didn't trust them to actually call me back to pickup the unclaimed money, so I insisted on keeping it. They were REAL happy with me about that.
Someone called and claimed the cash about 3 hours later. They were glad that I was honest and they said they preferred that I didn't leave it at the PO. For all he knew, I mighta left it with a crooked postal employee!
I say hold the stuff, but report it. You DID find it....so it should be left to you if unclaimed...not auctioned off.
love
nick
Someone called and claimed the cash about 3 hours later. They were glad that I was honest and they said they preferred that I didn't leave it at the PO. For all he knew, I mighta left it with a crooked postal employee!
I say hold the stuff, but report it. You DID find it....so it should be left to you if unclaimed...not auctioned off.
love
nick
NickfromWI
Addicted to ArboristSite
A couple weeks ago, Karina and I were in Washington DC just to see the sights. We weren't aware of it, but as part of the Cherry Blossom festivities, there was a Kite Flying Party. There were like 5 or 10 thousand people flying kites in the area they call "The Mall."
Well, it was a neat site....some cool kites. Eventually, I got to thinking....The Mall is a big field surrounded by Elm trees. Eventually one of these nice kites was going to get stuck in one of these trees. While walking around, Karina found a nice one up at the tips of a 40' Elm right at the foot of the Washington Memorial. That was about 4pm. My climbing gear was in the car at the parking garage. At about 7:45. we went back, gear in hand, and the kite was still there. I headed up. Karina used some plastic tubes we found to make a sort of pole-hook thing to reach out and get it.
I got up, she tied on the 6' pole, I got out as far as I could, then pulled up the "pole." After a bit of finaggling, I got it! It's a nice kite that I technically stole. I doubt the owners were coming back for it. It's a nice kite (not cheap plastic like you buy at the grocery store). It's easy to fly.
Finders keepers!
love
nick
Well, it was a neat site....some cool kites. Eventually, I got to thinking....The Mall is a big field surrounded by Elm trees. Eventually one of these nice kites was going to get stuck in one of these trees. While walking around, Karina found a nice one up at the tips of a 40' Elm right at the foot of the Washington Memorial. That was about 4pm. My climbing gear was in the car at the parking garage. At about 7:45. we went back, gear in hand, and the kite was still there. I headed up. Karina used some plastic tubes we found to make a sort of pole-hook thing to reach out and get it.
I got up, she tied on the 6' pole, I got out as far as I could, then pulled up the "pole." After a bit of finaggling, I got it! It's a nice kite that I technically stole. I doubt the owners were coming back for it. It's a nice kite (not cheap plastic like you buy at the grocery store). It's easy to fly.
Finders keepers!
love
nick
MasterBlaster
TreeHouse Elder
Yur an arborial thief!!!
Nice pic!!!
Nice pic!!!
MasterBlaster
TreeHouse Elder
Give it back!!!
Matt, hopefully an honest person will find anything you lose; and not one that figures if they can put an address to the phone #; they can find the rest of the stuff!
People used to put address or liscence plate number on keys; not too much anymore i think. Though, lose your keys in a parking lot now and they push the alarm off/flash lights to locate car quickly. Freon can make many locks brittle i hear etc. The criminal mind often twists the simplest of things agaisnt us; and school each other in how to go about it!
People used to put address or liscence plate number on keys; not too much anymore i think. Though, lose your keys in a parking lot now and they push the alarm off/flash lights to locate car quickly. Freon can make many locks brittle i hear etc. The criminal mind often twists the simplest of things agaisnt us; and school each other in how to go about it!
Tom Dunlap
Addicted to ArboristSite
Nick,
You can clear your conscience, the kite was abandoned. Much different than finding booty alongside the road.
Tom
You can clear your conscience, the kite was abandoned. Much different than finding booty alongside the road.
Tom
Lawn Masters
Addicted to ArboristSite
In both cases, stop pick up the tools and try to catch up to the owners vehicle to return their gear to them, if they refuse to accept it, then you have a new saw and ladder. if its left in the woods and nobody is anywhere nearby for at leat a mile, then you have a new saw and ladder no questions asked, if you're dumb enough to leave the ladder and saw in the woods then you dont need them very much.
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