Ring finders who blame others

[ManInTheWaLL]

I had the same experience. Drove a purse to a 20 yo's house and her dad answered. I explained I drove to ensure it was properly returned and asked if he would mind reimbursing a few bucks for gas as I left her money in it. He said, NO. But I'll let her know you came by and closed the door. I was like, how? I didn't leave a name/#. (angry emoji)

Over the years my kids and I found another purse and two wallets. I took a fair amount of funds to cover postage and mailed them back with a note saying I used their money to return their possession. I left my contact info and yet not one of them so much as called to say thank you.

And PHONES.... I've found several phones that were still powered on. I spent considerable time to call numbers in the call logs and/or answer the phone and share with callers that I needed to reach the owner to return the phone.

• One owner said the 30 minute drive was too far for her and asked if I would drop it off. I asked if she would cover fuel and she got upset. I said no problem, I'll leave it with my local police (an even further drive for her) and said she can pick it up there if she changes her mind.
• Another owner told me not to bother because the phone was older and they wanted to file a report to get a new replacement.

Hah, thanks for the tip. If I find something, I will tell them they can retrieve it after paying a "STORAGE & HANDLING FEE"

 

[ROBOTCOP13]

Well I think you need to put yourself in the 20 year old's father's place.

If you were him and a guy like you came to the door, what would your reaction be?

If I were him, I would casually walk out to where you parked your car and note the license plate number than walk back to you and stare at your face and say thank you and hand you a $10 dollar bill. Nothing else would need to be said.

 

[DaviDs]

For me it's just a classless attempt to cover their failure. Has anyone else encountered this?

R/F has an ethically pleasing business model but as a "service provider", you have to be realistic. As a former R/F rep, I asked...

1. Why should I drive 20+ minutes, each way, for free?
2. Why should I pay for parking instead of the customer?
3. Why shouldn't I charge for the depreciation of expensive, specialized equipment?
4. Why should my experience and acumen be valued the same as a panhandler asking for a donation?

Over 80 of my most recent calls were from folks on a busy tourist beach. They admittedly saw dozens of detectorists but waited days/weeks to call me for help. Some had photos of their beach setup in front of a landmark and could easily pinpoint the location of their lost item. I explain the consequences of waiting to call and the exponentially reduced probability of recovery. I then explain my mobilization fee and hourly rate. If they agree, I send my paypal or Zelle info and do not embark until a deposit is received.

After recovering dozens of single stud earings, earing backs, thin-dainty anklets, rings, and other hard to detect targets, I can confidently say that if I did not find it, "SOMEONE ELSE NABBED YOUR LOST ITEM". Thank you for contacting R/F and please pay the pre-arranged mobilization charge and hourly fee that we discussed before I started.

Now if I'm already at the beach, I still explain I'll be happy to help but my time is valuable. I require them to provide a picture of the item or an infallible description so I can ensure I am giving the item back to the rightful owner. I share that if it can't be found in a reasonable time, I have billable rates.

Might sound like a dick move to some, but I work a full and part time job, have a family with active kids, and when I get that rare bit of free-time time to enjoy my hobby, I want to enjoy it.... not work a third gig for someone else and for free.

 

[ROBOTCOP13]

https://www.wesh.com/article/woman-reunited-with-lost-wedding-ring-in-indialantic-beach-2/3884234#

 

[Tom_in_CA]

https://www.wesh.com/article/woman-reunited-with-lost-wedding-ring-in-indialantic-beach-2/3884234#

Yup. You can't put a price on human relations like that

In that particular story, as the video details : The md'r was alerted to the lost-ring by virtue of a Craigslist L&F listing. And even though, at the end of the video, it says he did it for free, but just to clarify : A lot of CL L&F "lost" listings do indeed say "reward ".

 

[ROBOTCOP13]

Got paid back with good karma.

https://www.wesh.com/article/man-finds-treasure-possibly-linked-to-1715-spanish-fleet/10034643#

 

[KOB]

Well I think you need to put yourself in the 20 year old's father's place.

If you were him and a guy like you came to the door, what would your reaction be?

If I were him, I would casually walk out to where you parked your car and note the license plate number than walk back to you and stare at your face and say thank you and hand you a $10 dollar bill. Nothing else would need to be said.

And the flip side to that ? How about a drunk marine and his buddies showing up at your door on July 5th (through tracking) and demanding their phone and military IDs. Or calling a kid saying you found his phone buried 1' in the wet , 30 yards out to sea , only to be threatened by calling the cops because you stole his phone ? No more returns !

 

[ROBOTCOP13]

Maybe you need to find a "safer" hobby ?

 

[ROBOTCOP13]

I remember a similar find. I was detecting Cocoa Beach, Fl and I found some ID badges on neck loops. They were for British sailors off a submarine that was docked at Port Canaveral Submarine Base on a training mission. I brought them to the Cocoa Beach Police station and gave them to a lady cop at the desk. She said she knew which Hotel they were staying at and she would bring them over there. She seemed pretty happy. I never got a reward for that but at least I made a lady cop happy.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... No more returns !

Kob, I too have a few "ingrate" stories as well, from my 45+ yrs. BUT SERIOUSLY NOW : Don't you have any good-outcome stories ? Grateful persons that you saved-their-day, and you are showered with deserved praise ? Or have you literally had only-ever those couple of ingrate stories, and NEVER a grateful story ?

For each ingrate story I can tell, I have 20 grateful stories. Maybe I'm just lucky ?

 

[DaviDs]

I remember a similar find. I was detecting Cocoa Beach, Fl and I found some ID badges on neck loops. They were for British sailors off a submarine that was docked at Port Canaveral Submarine Base on a training mission. I brought them to the Cocoa Beach Police station and gave them to a lady cop at the desk. She said she knew which Hotel they were staying at and she would bring them over there. She seemed pretty happy. I never got a reward for that but at least I made a lady cop happy.

AWESOME!

I was at Jax beach and found some military tags. I called Jax Beach Police and said I found some lost military belongings and would like to return them. Dispatch had an officer nearby and sent him over. When I handed him the tags, he gave a look of disgust and said this is garbage. They will have already been issued new tags and there is no need for him to do anything else. He said have a good day, turned to walk back to his car and threw the tags in the trash!

I was in shock! I'm still unsure if that was true, but I grabbed the tags, contacted a local VFW and a member swung by to attempt to return.