Property Left Behind

[corona11]

Ok so here is the story... Two friends and I have an apartment on our college campus. The realty company that owns the building put a fourth person into our fourth bedroom since we are on individual leases and the apartment itself is still owned by the company.

To simplify this fourth guy we don't know gets evicted for drug use and moves all of his property out and is gone. We find a brand new $200 I-touch left behind in the kitchen area. None of us have his contact info anymore and to be honest we wouldn't mind keeping it if he doesn't come back for it. It has been about a week, is there any type of law that applies to this situation or an ideal way to handle this?

Thanks for the replies.

[crass cop]

try to find him...its the right thing to do, doper POS or not. If you cant then I would "keep" it, but if you see the guy around and he asks you about it tell him the truth and get it to him.
What if its stolen?...not too uncommon with dopers.
Do whats right and there shouldnt be a problem

[just joe]

You know it is not yours. Turn it in to the police. What if he gets to where ever he is going and doesn't realize he left the phone behind but thinks someone stole it and he files a theft report? He might have the serial number available or he might be able to get it from where he bought the phone, so that could mean trying to defend yourself against a receiving stolen property charge.

[PhilipCal]

Agree totally with the previous replies. You mentioned that the apartment is on Campus. Take the property to the Campus Police and turn it in.

[mdrdep]

Not to mention if your former roomate was in to drugs, who is to say the dang thing isn't stolen (not something you want to get caught with). Turn it in. Some places also have procedures for you to claim the item if the rightful owner does not turn up in a timely manner.

[WTPD3534]

You know it is not yours. Turn it in to the police. What if he gets to where ever he is going and doesn't realize he left the phone behind but thinks someone stole it and he files a theft report? He might have the serial number available or he might be able to get it from where he bought the phone, so that could mean trying to defend yourself against a receiving stolen property charge.

I dunno about your dept but I surely wouldn't take a larceny report for someone who "thinks" their phone might have been stolen. It's a lost property report at best without some evidence of a crime. That being said if you see him give it to him, if not finders keepers.

[LT Dangle]

Uhh..... I am sorry, I left that in your common area the other day... Could you please mail that to me? To be honest, I wouldn't mind having that back.

[DeputySC]

I would take it to lost and found personally.

Or you could use it. But if he came back and wanted it then give it back. Just use common sense.

[jeffIL]

Maybe the PC answer is to bring it to the police, the reality is...don't. No one wants that report, if they would even take it.

[JI603]

We don't accept left over junk or lost items at the police department. Tell the landlord. They are supposed to follow procedures in your state's landlord/tenant laws as far as abandoned property belonging to tenants... same as those monthly pay storage places.

Don't bother cops with it.