Accidentally stole a Mesa cab

[TheWinterSnow]

depending on where you live, the laws change but for the most part, anything abandoned in a public area becomes property to whoever takes it. In most cases it is against the law to take garbage or anything that has been thrown out by someone, possessing an abandoned item from a public location is not, and after 60 days if no one has claimed that missing item to the police, its legally yours. If you posses an item that someone has reported, while you do legally have to give it back, if it was in public you won't be charged with theft, you still by law have to turn it into the police, that is if they find you in possession of it. Around my local area the unspoken rule is that if an item is left by a dumpster it is being left out for someone to grab and if not, taken to the dump on garbage day, and sometimes if the item isn't taken after a day, the owner will put a sign on it that says free to encourage taking it.

While most likely where you live taking it wasn't legally stealing, its still in my moral opinion a dickhead thing to not give it back if you knew that the owner wanted it back. If say 5 or 6 months later he then decided to ask for it back, I would say fuck off, but considering it was less than a week, its just a ultimate d-bag thing to keep it.

My suggestion, take it to the police, explain what happened. What they will do is hold the item for 2 weeks and if he doesn't come by to report it, its yours. Honestly I couldn't feel sorry for anyone who after having something of a high value stolen not report it to the police.

 

[abt]

It's very simple. If you genuinely thought that keeping it was okay then why make the post?

 

[InAbsentia_]

Update: I spoke to my friend about this and told him the whole story about how we made a mistake taking it and that the guy was looking for it. He basically echoed what some of the people said here about it being next to the trash and being up for grabs. He wouldn't change his mind no matter what I said.

I thought I'd take matters into my own hands (big fucking mistake!). So what I did was drive over to the house where we found it, rang the door bell and this girl answered. I explained the situation about finding the cab, and turns out this guy Ryan (explains the R.A..) left it outside while he went in to have a few drinks with his girlfriend (this girl) while he was waiting for his buddy to pick him and his gear up. She was very grateful I came up and spoke to her and she said her boyfriend was absolutely raging about the whole thing and was driving his buddy with a knife looking for it the day we took it. She said she'd call him up and he'd drive over and invited me in, but warned me about his 'hot temper'. I don't know what the fuck she told him over the phone but yeah. I sat there for a bit, and this absolute fucking douchebag BARGES in and grabs me by the shirt saying 'where's my fucking gear bitch! you fucking bastard' etc etc. totally being in my face. I was like whoa, calm down! and he basically said fuck calming down, I'm going to cut you. His girlfriend then stopped him and told me it'd be best if I leave before I get hurt and I should get my friend to drop it off before this guy goes crazy.

I'm back home now, quite shaken. I don't really know what the fuck to make of this shit.

 

[AshesOfTheWake]

That guy is an absolute idiot.

 

[InAbsentia_]

That guy is an absolute idiot.

I hope you're talking about the guy who threatened to assault me..

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

Update: I spoke to my friend about this and told him the whole story about how we made a mistake taking it and that the guy was looking for it. He basically echoed what some of the people said here about it being next to the trash and being up for grabs. He wouldn't change his mind no matter what I said.

I thought I'd take matters into my own hands (big fucking mistake!). So what I did was drive over to the house where we found it, rang the door bell and this girl answered. I explained the situation about finding the cab, and turns out this guy Ryan (explains the R.A..) left it outside while he went in to have a few drinks with his girlfriend (this girl) while he was waiting for his buddy to pick him and his gear up. She was very grateful I came up and spoke to her and she said her boyfriend was absolutely raging about the whole thing and was driving his buddy with a knife looking for it the day we took it. She said she'd call him up and he'd drive over and invited me in, but warned me about his 'hot temper'. I don't know what the fuck she told him over the phone but yeah. I sat there for a bit, and this absolute fucking douchebag BARGES in and grabs me by the shirt saying 'where's my fucking gear bitch! you fucking bastard' etc etc. totally being in my face. I was like whoa, calm down! and he basically said fuck calming down, I'm going to cut you. His girlfriend then stopped him and told me it'd be best if I leave before I get hurt and I should get my friend to drop it off before this guy goes crazy.

I'm back home now, quite shaken. I don't really know what the fuck to make of this shit.

People like that need to be sterilized

 

[Brandon E.]

Yeah you should keep that shit at this point man. I wont even bother justifying why I say that.

 

[InAbsentia_]

People like that need to be sterilized

I just don't understand. I came over to return the gear he's been crying about. What did I personally do wrong? I don't know what his problem is. He has a right to be emotional but he pushed me around and ripped my shirt. I'd have fought back but this guy was like 6'3, 200lb. I don't want to get into that sort of thing. I think I did the right thing by walking away.

I'm certainly at my wits end with this thing though. I'm not sure I even want to help this cock get his shit back now.

 

[AshesOfTheWake]

I hope you're talking about the guy who threatened to assault me..

Ha, yeah dude. The guy leaves a cab by the fuckin trash and expects it will be fine. You come and talk to him expecting him to be relieved but instead he tries to cut you. Wat a crazy sum bitch!

 

[colonel kurtz]

Imo, atleast here in Germany, you're not allowed to grab other peoples garbage.

And the dude is searching for his cab, man. YOU'RE a thief if you don't give it back.
I don't understand the whole discussion.

Stealing is stealing

FWIW, here in the US, as soon as your shit hits the street nobody has any ownership rights

this is why cops dig around in people's trash trying to find cups, cigarette butts, etc. of suspected criminals in order to run DNA tests. this is also why journalists dig through the trash of journalist, celebrities, etc...

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

Yup, I'm pretty sure the concept of garbage being abandoned property is fully supported by the law

 

[nwright]

kinda sounds like a.) karma is already getting you and b.) you are/will be taking the fall for stealing the gear because your douchebag friend is forcing the issue for you guys to be thieves.

I don't condone the violence, and I'm pretty sure I would handle it differently, but I'm finding it hard to sympathize with any of your situation, even the dude getting in your face. I would have asked the people at the house if it was trash...If no one was home or didn't answer, I would have left it where it was. You willingly took the risk of dealing with any consequences the moment you picked the thing up.

 

[InAbsentia_]

kinda sounds like a.) karma is already getting you and b.) you are/will be taking the fall for stealing the gear because your douchebag friend is forcing the issue for you guys to be thieves.

I don't condone the violence, and I'm pretty sure I would handle it differently, but I'm finding it hard to sympathize with any of your situation, even the dude getting in your face. I would have asked the people at the house if it was trash...If no one was home or didn't answer, I would have left it where it was. You willingly took the risk of dealing with any consequences the moment you picked the thing up.

How exactly would you handle it then? I can't believe you're blaming me for this. I've been trying to get it back to this fag since we picked it up, and it wasn't even my idea to do so. I don't see why I should be the guy taking shit for it, not only from the guy himself but from you too.

Sometimes I think trying to be the good dude always doesn't work, and I should take my 'douche' friends approach to things and not give a damn.

 

[Sam Bottner]

Up until that update, I was going to say basically what everyone else said (your friend's a douche, give it back), but the guy fucking attacked you, I say keep it.

 

[Tim HLAH]

1. if u see something around the garbage u are interested in.. just knock on their door and ask if u can take it.

2. the cab was legitimately sitting by the garbage? not away from it at all?

3. stealing from a studio ur recording in... wow thats fucking lame

regardless if the guy got in ur face or not. its his cab.. however it seems to be in ur friends possession and he doesnt want to give it up. idk wut to tell u but thieves dont make good friends

 

[Lasse Lammert]

..and this absolute fucking douchebag BARGES in and grabs me by the shirt saying 'where's my fucking gear bitch! you fucking bastard' etc etc. totally being in my face. I was like whoa, calm down! and he basically said fuck calming down, I'm going to cut you. His girlfriend then stopped him and told me it'd be best if I leave before I get hurt and I should get my friend to drop it off before this guy goes crazy.

I'm back home now, quite shaken. I don't really know what the fuck to make of this shit.

well, I hate thieves and the cab has to be returned BUT in his case I'd unscrew the rear panel, take a dump inside the cab and screw the panel back on before returning it.

 

[drew_drummer]

Yeah, there's no need for the guy to be a cunt like that. Your presence should've been proof that you were only trying to help.

At this point... I kinda think fuck it. The guy acted like a cunt and NOW Karma is catching up with HIM. Keep the cab.

 

[drew_drummer]

Oh... and send him a mail with a link to this thread, just so he knows why you're keeping his cab. Fucking arsehole.

 

[PaulSOCW]

After watching Toy Story 3 id say he prob intended to put it in the loft but his mum put it out in the trash but dont worry as it will find its own way back there.

 

[Purist]

IMO you should keep the cab at this point since the dude assaulted you when you were trying to help, He basically "dug his own grave". Did you give any information about yourself that could aid him on tracking you? I'm not sure why you thought it was a good idea to approach them yourself, you were either gonna A) start beef with the owner or B) Start beef with your buddy who is trying to keep the cab. Either way you kinda screwed yourself over at this point. The owner is going to be out for you if he doesn't get it back and if you force your buddy to give it back he is going to hate on you and probably rob your ass. Shitty situation dude. I hope things work out for you, you were only trying to do the right thing.