Found- What Should I Do? UPDATE

[squiddy]

I found a 10k white gold probably 1/4 carat diamond tennis bracelet when I was out for a run around the golf course this morning. From some curious Googling I place the retail value at about $300-500, if the diamonds are real, that is. I have no reason to believe they're not real and am inclined to think that they are because they are oh so very tiny. One diamond is missing, of the maybe 50 little guys.

It has no real value to me other than ooooh shinypretty, and I couldn't ethically sell it so I'd like to get it back to it's owner. Is this a total lost cause? I could put an ad on Craigslist, or put a couple signs up on the path. I could bring it to the golf course clubhouse. Or I could just bring it to the police station (where if unclaimed after 6 months it goes to public auction). Or I could throw it in my jewelry box and just forget about it.

What should I do? Other than fly to Detroit, go to that reality show pawn shop and then lose my shit when they tell me it's CZ and has no value at all. GIMME MY THREE HUNDRED DOLLAZ, I will say.

[icarus]

i'd suggest making some simple 'found' posters and sticking them up along the course you ran. if they were there once they'll be there again.  you could give one of the posters to the people at the golf...building...thing as well. i'd hesitate to give them the bracelet, or the police, since like you said if it sits unclaimed it'll go on auction.

you could also try craigslist, but i have a feeling the poster is more likely to net you a result. someone who wears a 300-500$ diamond bracelet out of the house probably isn't going to think to check craigslist first for their lost property.

since you don't want some random schmuck trying to pretend it's theirs, don't put a photo on the posters. just 'found, gold diamond bracelet. caller must describe it before it will be returned' or something.

[Chaz]

I'd suggest handing it to the golf course clubhouse - if you found it there, there's a chance it was dropped by a regular patron. Failing that, I'd agree with Icarus' plan, and go for a poster without including a photo.

[squiddy]

Ok, so if I make a sign should I put my phone number on it? Or maybe create an email address for this specifically?

I hesitate to just hand it to the clubhouse. It was on the walking path, which is part of a greater path that goes all through the city. It might belong to a golfer but in the location I found it it's more likely the property of a perambulator.

[icarus]

Ok, so if I make a sign should I put my phone number on it? Or maybe create an email address for this specifically?

i'd put both, if you're comfortable with it. cause it could belong to someone who's comfortable with email, or it could belong to someone who isn't. kinda hard to believe such people still exist, but it's also kinda hard to believe people still exist who would wear a bracelet that expensive while out on a walk so...best to cover all your bases.

[Acierocolotl]

Or just put up a Craigslist thing:  Found, one bracelet, near this place.  E-mail to (custom address for this purpose).

Let the person describe the bracelet so some random schmuck doesn't just go, "Yeah, I totes lost that, uhh... bracelet?  Yeah.  It was mine."

Less effort and expense on your part.  If you really want to be thorough, you could put up a few posters with similar info, I guess.  I'd still make up an e-mail address for that purpose, though.

[squiddy]

I made a Craigslist post that says I found a bracelet marked 10k and that emails without a matching description would not be responded to. I specifically left out the diamonds because I feel like that would generate too much interest, and anyone looking for this bracelet would at least try based on my post. I won't be able to get over to the same place until Wednesday and then I'll put up a couple signs.

[Isfahan]

Nobody's suggesting to keep it? Nobody's gonna be that person? Really? Fine. I'll be that person.

Keep it.

[chai tea latte]

Nobody's suggesting to keep it? Nobody's gonna be that person? Really? Fine. I'll be that person.

Keep it.

Well, she did say this:

It has no real value to me other than ooooh shinypretty, and I couldn't ethically sell it so I'd like to get it back to it's owner.

My initial reaction is that the kind of person who loses a $400 tennis bracelet and doesn't immediately scour the place looking for it until they find the thing is not the same person who will really be hurting for the thing until they get it back.

At the same time, though, it's quite possible that by keeping it, its rightful owner will be effected. I'd personally lean towards trying to make contact but just keeping the thing if nobody bites.

[squiddy]

I will keep it if nothing comes of my attempts. It's not lovely enough really for me to feel any desire to keep it. I am a little curious about the value, but it seems fairly low and is something that strikes me as having sentimental value to someone.

The "right" thing to do would probably be to turn it in to the police, but I don't like that they auction stuff that goes unclaimed.

Is there a legal thing that you're supposed to do in this circumstance? What happens if you go to a pawn shop and tell them you found something?

[Isfahan]

Well, she did say this:

It has no real value to me other than ooooh shinypretty, and I couldn't ethically sell it so I'd like to get it back to it's owner.

99% of tennis bracelets that people own are owned because of "ooooh shinypretty," and the rest are heirlooms with sentimental value. It's not like Squiddy found someone's prosthetic leg and there's some poor war veteran out there who'd have to use his left foot for the gas pedal if she decided to keep it.

At any rate, I made the suggestion because it wouldn't feel right if someone didn't. I stepped up to the That Guy plate and hit a modest grounder resulting in a single. My work with that is done.

Is there a legal thing that you're supposed to do in this circumstance? What happens if you go to a pawn shop and tell them you found something?

Are you going into the pawn shop to sell it? If not, and you say you found it, they will try to get you to sell it to them, because they give no shits about stuff that isn't stolen property. A skeevy pawn shop will try to get the bracelet from you without paying for it, on the notion that giving the bracelet up without payment takes the moral weight off your shoulders. They will then sell it because, again, they give no shits.

[squiddy]

I just want to point out that this thread is topic number 666. Now I think I should keep it.

[Isfahan]

Yep, it's a sign. Give in to greed. Then, when goody-two-shoes Squiddy quantum jumps into this universe for advice on dating or some shit, mug her.

[Emperor Jack Chick]

I just want to point out that this thread is topic number 666. Now I think I should keep it.

Chiming in to support this.

[Delcat]

You're doing everything right and I tip my cap to you for your honesty and hope you get a fat reward.  As a side note, though:

Other than fly to Detroit, go to that reality show pawn shop and then lose my shit when they tell me it's CZ and has no value at all. GIMME MY THREE HUNDRED DOLLAZ, I will say.

I used to watch that show and stopped when I realized I honestly couldn't tell if it was heavily staged or Detroit being Detroit and it was driving me crazy.