W00t! got a free 18 speed bike!

The difference is, the police don't take the car home and use it. It's put into a place so the owner can find it. You're not the cops.

Legally... possessing stolen property is prosecutable. Car, bike, purse.. doesn't matter. If the bike fell off a car, they might assume someone lifted it off, instead of it falling.
If I park my car somewhere and you took it, it's stealing. When something isn't yours.. it's stealing if you don't return it. Shrug.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sw204me

All my friend's are telling me to scratch off the serial numbers.../shrug

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I believe it's against site rules to encourage illegal activity. Scratching off the serial numbers is exactly the same as if you stole it.:colbert:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blu Mongoose

I believe it's against site rules to encourage illegal activity. Scratching off the serial numbers is exactly the same as if you stole it.:colbert:

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How is that "encouraging" illegal activity?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nathanledet

How is that "encouraging" illegal activity?

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Whether he found the bike or not, doing away with the serial number so it can't be claimed or identified by the owner?

Correct. but, "my friends told me to" is encouraging HIM. He is not encouraging anyone to do it.

wow, just wow. So I assume all you people that are attacking me for picking up the bike never once found money laying on the ground and kept it, cause after all, that is stealing. Am I correct to assume you wondered around asking if anyone dropped some money on the ground? Or did you say you found it, its yours, and you kept it? You don't have to answer me on here, you know what you did in that case. Even if it was like $2, its still stealing...

Generic money is different to find than a stolen bike. I do not write the serial numbers of my dollar bills down and store them. People who buy expensive bikes do. People whose bikes get stolen call the police and see if any that were returned to them have that serial number.
Whatever; obviously you've made up your mind and are keeping the bike. So do what you want; it is a free country. I might not follow any organized religion, and I am definately not proclaiming myself to be a moral compass. Enjoy your stolen bike.

I find it amusing that you have different levels of "stealing", and some are totally ok and other not, when they are all weighed the same. One is actually gov't property, an more likely to lead to felony charges then simple pety theft, yet you seem to have no issue with that. I also find it amusing that you are 100% positive the bike was stolen, you should be a psychic, you could make a fortune! Also, since you seem to know all, can you please send me the address of the owner, will save me time from knocking door-to-door trying to find someone willing to claim it, and will allow me to attend Daytona this weekend...http://otug.net/forums/Smileys/default/rolleyes2.gif

Either way, I getting plenty of use out of it and getting some really nice exercise. http://otug.net/forums/Smileys/default/Thumbsup.gif

I gotta say, I've found money, and yeah, I asked around. I once ran out and flagged down a car to return an envelope full of cash to a woman.. who was rude to me when I handed it back. I'm just that way. I might kick myself afterwards, and say I'm a moron for being overly-honest, but I do return it if at all possible.

I'm just glad I haven't lost anything of mine recently. I have a bike in my front yard, and no one has walked off with it yet. Just because I rarely use it, and I'm not home often... still wouldn't make it right for someone to take it.

Not reporting it as found, not making any effort.. that's what makes the slight difference. A "found" ad in the local paper.. btw, most time it's free to place.. or any real effort would have made me feel better about keeping something valuable that I found. But then that's me, not you. At least you're getting exercise and fresh air.

My point: someone could have reported THEIR bike stolen, knowing THEIR stolen bike's serial numbers, to the local police. YOU have that bike, you are not returning it. Any schmuck on earth could say "oh I lost $10, it is mine" lol..
Here's one for you. I was at a local supermarket a few years back; my fiancee found a huge diamond in the frozen section. It was probably worth about $10k judging by the size. We were about to go turn it in at the desk when we see this lady sobbing; holding her daughter and crying. Turns out, she had lost the rock out of her ring that her husband had given her shortly before he died. She went completely ecstatic with joy when we stopped and let her know that we had found it.
Again, whatever dude. I have a life to live and I am leaving this at that. I myself like to at least make an effort to make things right. I have had things stolen by thieves after I worked hard to earn them, and I have no respect whatsoever for a thief of any kind. If the person turned in the serial numbers and filed a claim like they probably did with a bike of that caliber, you have the power to get that bike back to them, and you are not. That's my take on it.