DaviDs
Forum Supporter
Recently I found a big ticket item that had a serial #, so I went about to find the lawful way to acquire the item so I can resell. This has brought me to the following Florida law regulation which states Any person finds any lost or abandoned property, such person shall report the description and location of the property to a law enforcement officer ... or may be charged with theft.
Obviously concerned, I have began to take steps with my attorney to fully cooperate & be a law abiding citizen. However, I wonder how many of you are aware of this? Afterall, metal detector manufacturers like Garrett, Whites, & ML frequently talk about finding jewelry and money but seemingly lack ethical responsibility to notify the hobbiest that the act of keeping such items and not notifying law enforcement is a criminal act.
What are your thoughts ?!
Here is the Florida law....
705.102. Reporting lost or abandoned property
(1) Whenever any person finds any lost or abandoned property, such person shall report the description and location of the property to a law enforcement officer.
(2) The law enforcement officer taking the report shall ascertain whether the person reporting the property wishes to make a claim to it if the rightful owner cannot be identified or located. If the person does wish to make such claim, he or she shall deposit with the law enforcement agency a reasonable sum sufficient to cover the agency's cost for transportation, storage, and publication of notice. This sum shall be reimbursed to the finder by the rightful owner should he or she identify and reclaim the property.
(3) It is unlawful for any person who finds any lost or abandoned property to appropriate the same to his or her own use or to refuse to deliver the same when required.
(4) Any person who unlawfully appropriates such lost or abandoned property to his or her own use or refuses to deliver such property when required commits theft as defined in s. 812.014, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
CREDIT(S)
Laws 1987, c. 87-82, § 2. Amended by Laws 1992, c. 92-79, § 4, eff. Oct. 1, 1992; Laws 1997, c. 97-102, § 790, eff. July 1, 1997.
Obviously concerned, I have began to take steps with my attorney to fully cooperate & be a law abiding citizen. However, I wonder how many of you are aware of this? Afterall, metal detector manufacturers like Garrett, Whites, & ML frequently talk about finding jewelry and money but seemingly lack ethical responsibility to notify the hobbiest that the act of keeping such items and not notifying law enforcement is a criminal act.
What are your thoughts ?!
Here is the Florida law....
705.102. Reporting lost or abandoned property
(1) Whenever any person finds any lost or abandoned property, such person shall report the description and location of the property to a law enforcement officer.
(2) The law enforcement officer taking the report shall ascertain whether the person reporting the property wishes to make a claim to it if the rightful owner cannot be identified or located. If the person does wish to make such claim, he or she shall deposit with the law enforcement agency a reasonable sum sufficient to cover the agency's cost for transportation, storage, and publication of notice. This sum shall be reimbursed to the finder by the rightful owner should he or she identify and reclaim the property.
(3) It is unlawful for any person who finds any lost or abandoned property to appropriate the same to his or her own use or to refuse to deliver the same when required.
(4) Any person who unlawfully appropriates such lost or abandoned property to his or her own use or refuses to deliver such property when required commits theft as defined in s. 812.014, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
CREDIT(S)
Laws 1987, c. 87-82, § 2. Amended by Laws 1992, c. 92-79, § 4, eff. Oct. 1, 1992; Laws 1997, c. 97-102, § 790, eff. July 1, 1997.
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