4 August 2009

How honest are Canberrans?

| janeycomelately
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I’d like to get an idea of how honest the average Canberran is these days. Last Friday, my lovely husband lost his wallet. We think it fell out of his pocket and since then we’ve been hoping someone would ring us about it (his contact details were inside) or post it back to us. No luck so far.

I know many other Rioters have probably had similar experiences – did your lost stuff get returned?

If you found a wallet, what would you do? Would it make a difference if it contained cash?

(And if you found a wallet over the last few days, let me know).

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Pelican Lini10:36 pm 05 Aug 09

My teenage son once found a handbag with a wallet in it containing about $2000.
He showed it to me and it turned out it belonged to an elderly neighbour who’d withdrawn the money for some new furniture.
She was so grateful to get her bag back (which she’d not yet noticed was missing) and I was so proud of my son’s honesty and decency, as I am everyday.
Must be a lucky neighbourhood ‘cos a few years back when my job took me to Sydney for a week, I left the sliding doors at the back not just unlocked but wide open and while I got a shock when I returned, mercifully nothing had been taken.

smeeagain said :

Turns out that some lowlife had just tried to spend it and they had seized it from him as he didn’t know the name of the intended receiver. He then ran from the store before they could do anything further.

The time from when we left Myer until we discovered the card was missing was about 4 mins. This person must have been following us and seen him drop it to be able to go into JB and choose something and line up before us. Good on JB for being so thorough.

I’m guessing that he tried to get a refund on it, otherwise (other than him being a lowlife) I can’t think of why they would have even asked who the intended recipient was

When I was about 11 and living in Queanbeyan I had lost my wallet on the bus to school, containing $5 and my bus pass, the bus pass being the important one as it allowed free travel to and from school for the year.
Went to the depot that afternoon and it was there with my $5 intact! ($5 being my whole week’s pocket money, and thus very exciting)

I lost a wallet at this years New Years fireworks. One of those situations where you swear it was in ya pocket, but it misteriously disappeared while holding kids in one arm, picnic gear in other, keys in mouth…… Anyway, searched lake, garden beds, toilets, bins to no avail. Went with friend straight to City Police and reported it, who replied that it would be hardly unlikely that anyone would return it. Anyway, after cancelling all the cards (as you do), had a call from the Police 2 days later, saying the wallet had been returned, intact. On the flip side, I found a mobile down near the Chinese Embassy a year ago. Called nearly every number on it to try and find the owner so I could return it. Nearly the last number, and was a Backpackers in QLD, where she had worked. Gave them my number so I could pay for it to be sent up there, but 2 weeks, they never called back, so I tossed the mobile in the bin. Thought Karma would come back one day to bite me for tossing that phone, but it musta come back positive when I lost my wallet, cause at least I tried!

I lost my phone in a cab one night. The cabby looked through my contacts and called my home number and told me he would drop it in my letterbox on his way home. I left a 6 pack out for him to say thanks. The next time he picked me up he said that of all the occasions he had found people to drop stuff off that they had left in taxis that was the first time he received a gift. He was very appreciative.

Two experiences, good and bad. (though they both had good outcomes)

When moving house, a box fell from the trailer and smashed on the road. We didn’t even realise we had lost it.

I was on maternity leave at the time. Many months after moving, I received a phone call from my work saying that a man had rung them saying he had a box of things that belonged to me. I had no idea what it was about, but took the details and phoned the gentleman. He had picked up all the things and tried to find details in the phone book, but had no joy. He left the box in his garage for a while, then when he was ready to take it to the dump, he went through it again and found a certificate that also had my work details on it. He rang them and just luckily managed to find someone who knew that the name on the certificate was my maiden name (hence why he couldn’t locate us)

I was very grateful and took him a box of choccies and a bottle of something or other. The box contained all our wedding photos, assorted certificates and awards.

Another time, I was in the Belconnen mall with my young son, who had been given a gift certificate for JB Hifi. He was very excited about being able to go and spend it and asked me if he could carry it. I handed him the little wallet just as we walked out of Myer. We then went to JB (a distance of about 5 shopfronts for those who don’t know Belconnen) and straight to the game counter. My son knew which game he wanted and picked it straight up. I asked him for that and the gift card so I could go and pay. Uh oh. No card. My husband immediately retraced our steps. Couldn’t find the card anywhere. I went to the counter in JB and advised them that the card had been lost. I was able to tell them the name of the person who purchased it, who it was bought for, the purchase date and the amount. Turns out that some lowlife had just tried to spend it and they had seized it from him as he didn’t know the name of the intended receiver. He then ran from the store before they could do anything further.

The time from when we left Myer until we discovered the card was missing was about 4 mins. This person must have been following us and seen him drop it to be able to go into JB and choose something and line up before us. Good on JB for being so thorough.

I heard somewhere that you are 60 percent more likely to get your wallet back if you have a photo of a baby in it, apparently people just cant handle taking a wallet from someone or keeping it, if it has a cute little baby in it. Anyone got a photo of their baby they care to share?

janeycomelately9:12 am 05 Aug 09

Re #21 crankymum
“I *have* to point out this family lived in some of the roughest guvvy flats in Red Hill – but were more honest and compassionate than people who have had all the advantages one could hope for in life.”

The sad truth in our case is that my husband last remembers having his wallet with him at the Red Hill shops, right near those guvvy flats. Unfortunately the majority of residents I see (and hear) from that area seem to be under the influence of something most days and nights. I hope that lovely honest family are still living there and maybe found the wallet … nothing in the post box so far, but we’ll check again today.

Just letting you know I found a wallet once.

I would always try to return a wallet to someone. Having had mine stolen recently I know how crap it is to be stuck without any way to access money and having to get a new drivers licence etc.

I can’t believe some people haven’t been more grateful for having it returned! I actually found a drivers licence on the road once, and saw that it was the guys birthday very soon, so I wrapped it in a cheapy birthday card and posted it to him LOL!

He turned up on my doorstep with a bunch of flowers! 😛

I lost a wallet after a big night out once (outside Finnnagins or something), a couple of lovely young ladies returned it to me. I also happened to find a wallet the other day. Took me a while to track the owner down (had to look him up in the phone book) but he was relieved to get it back (don’t think he even knew he had lost it at that stage). He did offer me $50 but I’m not that hard up for cash…

To the very kind person who posted my son’s wallet home (after he had lost it on a night out) with no return address and just “Good Luck” written on the back of the envelope. Thank you!

Left a fairly full wallet in a shopping trolley at Woolies QBN over Christmas once, didn’t even know it was missing till they called me and told me the trolley men had handed it in, was so grateful but didn’t have anyone to thank. Whereas I lost a wallet with a huge amount of money in ($5000) and it was handed in by a QBN South school child – I felt very bad as there was only $50 notes in it (and it wasn’t my money) and I couldn’t even give the wonderful child a reward. I think most people are very honest.

The chances are roughly 50/50 of you getting it back. I think most decent or semi-decent people can relate to the “oh sht, I’ve lost my wallet/purse/phone” and will hand things in. Sometimes it is also dependant on the person realising then remembering where they have been to return to that place. Having worked at a supermarket for a fair length of time, I’ve found most things that people leave when they get distracted. Even our former MLAs get forgetful sometimes, I found Mr Pratt’s wallet years back when he was still a member. I was surprised he was listed in the white pages, gave his number a call and he came to get it, didn’t offer me any money though!

Another time I did find a lady’s handbag left in a trolley late at night who owns a nice restaurant in Kingston. She tried to say thanks by offering me free dinner, too bad I didn’t have a hot girl to take or I would have accepted. She did remind me to go for dinner for years after every time I saw her though.

Found a Hong Kong resident’s driving license the other day folded in with an Avis car rental receipt. Handed it in to Avis in Braddon. I hope they sent it to the owner.

I had a beer (when i was waiting for one of the kids to finish work) at about 6 pm on a Saturday at Ojays (sp?) at the back of the hyperdome, they were setting up for a 21st. Next morning i realised i had no wallet, drove down there and asked and was handed my wallet still full of cash. big kudos to those guys

tch, you’ve all got sooo much money you need a wallet.

i’d always return property, and have done so, usually even going so far as to make at least some attempt to locate the owner of notes i find now and again. often as not, no owner = money to charity. not mine, but finding it a good home seems right.

Felix the Cat8:35 pm 04 Aug 09

I found a wallet in Hawker once, looked like it might of been stolen and dumped, there was no cash but there was a credit card and might of been a licence too. I phoned the person offering to return it and they didn’t seem the least bit interested or grateful, just told me to mail it back to them, don’t even think they said please or thanks.

I lost my own wallet once, fell out of my backpack while I was riding my bike back from Bungendore. I realised it was lost when I got back as far as the Federal Highway. I drove back along the route in my car but couldn’t see it anywhere. Only had about $30 cash in it, it was the credit cards, licence and other ID that I was concerned about. Thought it was gone forever but the next day I received a phone call from a lady telling me that her husband found the wallet halfway up Smiths Gap while driving his backhoe. Everything was still intact including the cash. I was very grateful even though I had already cancelled my CC.

I found a wallet once but couldn’t get a phone number and didn’t have a way of getting to their house so I just posted them to the address on the drivers licence… someone might have done that for you… maybe?

I never heard anything back which I thought was a bit rude as I had left a note saying where I found it etc. There was money in it but I didn’t snoop too much.

grunge_hippy8:08 pm 04 Aug 09

i found a wallet once, didn’t even look if there was cash, looked at the drivers licence, found out they lost it outside their own house, no one was home so i left it at the front door. (it was well away from the road, not seen) I’m a firm believer in karma… and what goes around, comes around, even if these people didnt know it was me who returned it.

i always think that it might be a set up for one of those a current affair shows, “how honest are you really” type segments!

Ring the coppers, someone may have handed it in.

I’ve found 3 watches, in 2 cases quite valuable ones and handed them in. After 3 months I got a call coming to say come and collect them, no-one has claimed them. This wasn’t in Canberra though.

AngryHenry said :

I found the reward was being able to instill fear into a fellow citizen and then confuse and ultimately suprise them by giving them something they’d lost instead of stealing it.

Epic Win.

In a moment of distraction I left my wallet with the week’s pension behind.

Of course, I didn’t notice until I got home – then it was almost the worst afternoon of my life, trying to call around where I had been to ask if it had been handed.

Just an hour after I got home I got a phone call from the people who had found my wallet, telling me they had it. I had my wallet back within a couple of hours of leaving it, and it had my pension in it too.

I *have* to point out this family lived in some of the roughest guvvy flats in Red Hill – but were more honest and compassionate than people who have had all the advantages one could hope for in life.

AngryHenry – that is too funny!!

I saw a lady drop her wallet at Belconnen mall. Tried to get her attention, couldn’t so a mate and I drove out to her address we got of her drivers licencse. She pooed herself wen we showed up at her front door thinking she was about to be subject to a home invasion, instead we retuned her wallet cash and all.

I found the reward was being able to instill fear into a fellow citizen and then confuse and ultimately suprise them by giving them something they’d lost instead of stealing it.

About 8 years ago I found $380 in cash in the tray of the ATM at the Service Station in kambah (the one near the indoor sport ctr). I tracked the owner down the next day (his mum rang teh servi asking if anybody found the cash and he was an 18 year old kid who was taking out his pay before going to footy training. Turns out he was runing late and forgot to actually pick up ths cash before getting back in his car and leaving. The kid offered me some money to buy a case of beer a a reward but I turned him down, seeing hs smile was good enough for me, poor kid.

More recently, i found a swish mobile phone at soccer at Calwell last Saturday. I had to wait till someone rang on it to ask who they were after so I could ask around for them at the game. Happy ending all round.

I’ve never had anybody return anything to me yet though, but then again, I haven’t lost much either (except my mind once).

ImaybeabitchBUTnotYOURbitch4:14 pm 04 Aug 09

When I was a teenager, I left a bag with a bunch of records in it at the bus stop (member of the radio club at school – so geeky!) and an adult noticed it after all the kids were gone and handed it in to the admin ladies. I remember feeling so amazed and relieved when I found out they’d been handed in! So that experience made me a serial giver-backerer, unless it’s a note that’s fluttering in the breeze on its own.

Over the years I’ve chased several people down the bus to return wallets left on/under seats and last year handed some a young asian woman the $100 she’d just dropped while walking in the mall. She seemed freshly arrived in Australia – I’d heard her struggling to work out the currency, paying to get some keys cut. I reminded her that the green notes are the most valuable ones. 🙂

People are generally very grateful to find there are still honest people out there. I just hope Karma brings my wallet back the day I lose it.

I’d give it back. Its not mine to keep. (I handed in a pay envelope with ~$400 in it the week before Xmas about 10 years ago- the bloke who came to collect it with his 3 small kids in the back of the car looked very relieved). Plus, Karma has its way of repaying you whatever action you take..

Jim Jones said :

I found someone’s lost phone, so I tried calling them to let them know I had it. But every time I rang, they were engaged.

What does the person getting married have to do with giving them their phone back?

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy3:44 pm 04 Aug 09

I’ve found several wallets over the years, and have always returned them without taking any money. I have never had anyone give me money as reward, but don’t really care. I also found a phone last year at a concert, so when I got home I rang a number labelled ‘mum’, and the lady sounded amazed I’d called. It was kinda late (ie midnight) but she really wanted the phone, so I gave her my address and left it in the mailbox. At 7am it was gone.

Losing stuff sucks. I am a firm believer in handing things in.

FC said :

My phone was lost and returned to me by someone who had found it.
I was VERY appreciative as my phone is also my camera/ipod/diary/note taker.

I found someone’s lost phone, so I tried calling them to let them know I had it. But every time I rang, they were engaged.

My phone was lost and returned to me by someone who had found it.
I was VERY appreciative as my phone is also my camera/ipod/diary/note taker.

PickedANickname3:28 pm 04 Aug 09

Just a few weeks ago, I lost my son’s blue book. I must have put it on the roof of my car and drove off. It is a bad habit I have. I put things on the roof when sorting out things in the back seat.

Someone found it and returned it to a police station.

Over ten years ago I did the same thing with my purse. It had everything including my passport and residency visa. Again someone turned it in to the police.

Nice people in Canberra.

Lost my wallet in Seattle airport either at a phone booth or actually still on my seat on the plane (it was a layover). Gone..

janeycomelately3:28 pm 04 Aug 09

Danman, I only wish the wallet you found was ours… but looks like it’s not.

I agree with you johnboy – finders should definitely get a reward for their honesty. It gives a nice warm and fuzzy feeling but also incentive to keep up with their honest ways.

A few years ago my mum spotted notes flying around the road in Evatt. She stopped the car and got us kids to (carefully) gather up the cash. We found a wallet too and drove around to the lady’s house to return it. Clearly she’d left her wallet on the roof of her car and drove off.

Instead of thanks, she looked in the wallet, screwed up her face and said, “There’s some missing.” No thanks, nothing. Clearly, if we had wanted to keep her money we wouldn’t have bothered driving to her house to return what we did find.

Moral of the story – if someone does you a good turn (like returns a lost item) be generous in your thanks.

Back when I worked in cinemas I used to find a lot of lost wallets, always handed them in to box where they’d try and find contact details to call.

Classiest thing I ever saw was a guy ask to speak to the usher who’d found the wallet, open it up and take out all the money in it, some 500 pounds sterling, and give it to the usher saying “you could have taken it, and this way I don’t have to replace all my cards”.

Anyone getting their wallet back should at least think about it. If everyone did it we’d see a lot more wallets handed back in.

I lost my wallet twice. Once, I never saw it again. The other time, a woman behind me pointed out that I’d just lost my wallet and gave it back to me.

About five years ago I found a wallet at the uni of Canberra it had about $180 in it. I looked up the owners phone number using the adress on his drivers licence and gave him a call, His Mother answered and was so happy thta I had called, she said hwer son would come over straight away and collect it. I told her that I had to leave for work in half an hour, and she said he would be there before then.

so I waited and waited and eventually about an hour and a half later a bloke turned up and took his wallet he did not even say thanks.

So I think there are honest Canberran and disonest Canberran. I guess it is lucky dip if you loose your wallet

Thoroughly Smashed3:05 pm 04 Aug 09

Apologies if that was dry humour and I’ve gone and ruined the joke

Thoroughly Smashed2:58 pm 04 Aug 09

BenjaminL said :

I’d take half the cash as payment for returning it.

That would be theft

Clown Killer2:57 pm 04 Aug 09

I’ve been in both positions. I once lost a wallet with about $250 cash, cards and license etc. Never saw or heard of it again.

About a year ago my son found a wallet with about $300 in Borders in the city, we drove it over to the address on the guys drivers license – he wasn’t home, but we ended up connecting up with him and returning it – he gave my son $50 reward (not bad money for a fiver year old).

I’d take half the cash as payment for returning it.

Pommy bastard2:48 pm 04 Aug 09

A couple of years ago I lost my wallet in the O’Connor area, some school kids found it(it had $300 cash in it) and handed it into the school reception, who contacted me.

Funny you mention that – I saw an abandoned wallet on the bench where you load your shopping in ALDI in Canberra cantre today around 11am.

I didnt want anyone else to steal it, but did not want to take on the duty of care for it, so I handed it to the cash register operator.

Hopefully the rightful owner remembereed that they put it down in ALDI and returned to get it.

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