STEALING - STEALING BY FINDING - GOODS IN CUSTODY - CREDIT CARD THEFT - IDENTITY FRAUD

Published 12 Sep 2011

CASE STUDY – Stealing By Finding

The Facts: Client found a wallet containing cash and credit cards. He was pulled stopped by police within hours of finding the wallet. Police charged him with stealing by finding as he had not handed the wallet in to a police station.

The Result: Not guilty at hearing. The client intended to hand the wallet in to police but had not been near a police station and had been busy following the time that the wallet was found. There was no evidence that the client had appropriated the property to his own use. The money and credit cards were still in the wallet. Common sense might suggest that if someone wanted to steal the money, they would have tossed the cards and the wallet. However, police often are faced with people who have another person’s credit card for illegal purposes – hence the need to take this matter to hearing.

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