200 wallets dropped in cities: guess what is the return ratio?

[Savago]

Pretty cool video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnL7sJYblGY

[The emperor has no clothes]

Very cool ! You would be amazed at the amount of wallets, phones left in a meat case.

[mbramley]

 Cool video.

[hubcapsc]

I've come across a couple of wallets...

Once I was following some car down a country road and all of a sudden
it swerved and a wallet shot out the passenger window  ??? ... I returned
that one to a policeman, I wish I knew the story on it.

Another time, during the Christmas shopping season, Carolyn and I found
one in a mall parking lot. It had numerous uncashed checks which allowed us
to know what bank the check-owner used - a bank in Easley SC, which we
would pass on the way home. Taking it there lead to us knowing
that the checks represented the money that the parents were going to use to get the
Christmas present for the kids...

-Mike "warm and fuzzy  "

[Jess from VA]

My favorite wallet stories are the ones where armed robbers leave theirs behind at the scene of the crime.

 

[Pete]

Great job with the wallet drop, they did a super job.

Thanks for posting.

[Rams]

True story.
About a 18 months ago, I was in an automotive parts store and saw a red sock on a shelf at the cashier counter.  I thought that was odd so, I picked it up.  It was full of money.   I alerted the store manager.  It had over $6K in cash in it all folded up neatly.   We called the local constable who came and got it.   Found out later it belonged to a customer who didn't trust banks and kept all his cash in that sock.

Last September I crashed my Valkyrie, I was returning from a trip to visit my mom and attended an auction where I tried to by an old (antique) truck.  Had cash in hand.   Didn't get it bought.  Regardless, while I layed on the concrete out cold, someone found that cash ($5,800 in hundred dollar bills) and gave it to the deputy sheriff who sent it to the hospital where it was later returned to me.    What goes around, comes around I guess.

Rams

[Chrisj CMA]

When you lose a wallet especially with cash in it, you may expect one of the dishonest ones are going to find your wallet. I know I did.

I lost mine last year at a gas station coming home from a motorcycle trip. It had almost $300 in it. Next day when I figured it out I went back to that gas station and my wallet with all the cash still in it was in their safe. Someone turned it in and specifically asked to remain anonymous for some reason do I couldn’t thank or reward them but I still was amazed and appreciative.

[Skinhead]

I left a bar we stopped at after work when I first moved to MI.  As I approached my car, I saw a bank envelope laying on the ground, and picked it up.  It contained a bunch of cash and a paystub.  So I had a name but no phone number (unlisted).  I called the bank, gave them the name and asked if the named person was a customer and could they call them and tell them I found their money and a bunch of undeposited checks, left them my number.  Guy called me back and picked it up,  I wouldn't take a reward, but I got a huge fruit basket a couple months later at Christmas time from him.  I don't think it's right to take a reward for doing a good deed.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I left a bar we stopped at after work when I first moved to MI.  As I approached my car, I saw a bank envelope laying on the ground, and picked it up.  It contained a bunch of cash and a paystub.  So I had a name but no phone number (unlisted).  I called the bank, gave them the name and asked if the named person was a customer and could they call them and tell them I found their money and a bunch of undeposited checks, left them my number.  Guy called me back and picked it up,  I wouldn't take a reward, but I got a huge fruit basket a couple months later at Christmas time from him.  I don't think it's right to take a reward for doing a good deed.

agreed, it’s bad juju 

[Fazer]

I liked that video.  Kind of restores my faith in mankind--whoops, I mean peoplekind.

[..]

Many years ago living in NW central London I walk past a phone box and on the parcel shelf inside is a ladies handbag.

I don't open it. Don't forget we used to get bombs placed in London.

Call the police and a couple of guys show up. They open it and discover it belongs to the wife of a guy who owns a not too far away fish and chip shop.

I got 6 free orders of fish n' chips.

Not as many years ago I walk into a stall in the restrooms next to the Visitors center in Dahlonega, GA.

On the floor is a sock. A very full looking sock. I prod it with my boot toe. It's solid not squishy.

Pick it up and it's full of coins.

I take it next door to the Visitors center and they ask for my phone number and tell me if no one collects it they will call me.

A few days later (pre bloody robo calls) I get a call to my cell phone. Don't recognize the number and flip the phone ope so as to speak to the caller.

A young boys voice - maybe 7 or 9 - asks if I am Mr.Paul. Hearing I am he thanks me for handing in the money he had saved for his vacation to north GA.

A few years ago a woman driving near Savannah, GA found a money sack from a security truck. It had $68,000.00 in. That's a find I still debate with myself about.

Then there's this guy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP30_UGUSYI

https://listverse.com/2013/09/02/10-people-who-found-big-money-and-returned-it/

I did have my wallet returned when I lived in Sandy Springs, GA. Picked it up from a younger Hispanic guy with very bad English. I offered him the cash in it but he didn't want it.

[NewValker]

Many moons ago, I was fresh out of high school, 1st job, payday woo-hoo!!
I gassed up my car at lunchtime, went back to work and realized my wallet with all the money I had was gone.
I went back to the gas station and accused the attendant of lifting it off the car when I set it down to pay him. He denied it so I called the cops. Denied it to them too. I was pissed, planning revenge that evening.
About 8 that night I got a call from a guy near Boston. Seems he picked my wallet up in the road half way between the gas station and work. 
Wife and I drove to his house, huge mansion, 3 car garage, gated driveway. I thanked him profusely, every dollar was still in it. I tried to give him a reward, he looked at my 10 year old car, all primer and rust, my pregnant wife, and said nope, someone returned my wallet once, and I’m happy to return yours.
I went back to the gas station Monday, and apologized profusely. That was a pretty big plate of crow....
Since then I’ve found 2 wallets and a pocketbook. Returned the wallets to owners and the pocketbook to the P.D. No rewards taken.
Craig

[The emperor has no clothes]

Many moons ago, I was fresh out of high school, 1st job, payday woo-hoo!!
I gassed up my car at lunchtime, went back to work and realized my wallet with all the money I had was gone.
I went back to the gas station and accused the attendant of lifting it off the car when I set it down to pay him. He denied it so I called the cops. Denied it to them too. I was pissed, planning revenge that evening.
About 8 that night I got a call from a guy near Boston. Seems he picked my wallet up in the road half way between the gas station and work. 
Wife and I drove to his house, huge mansion, 3 car garage, gated driveway. I thanked him profusely, every dollar was still in it. I tried to give him a reward, he looked at my 10 year old car, all primer and rust, my pregnant wife, and said nope, someone returned my wallet once, and I’m happy to return yours.
I went back to the gas station Monday, and apologized profusely. That was a pretty big plate of crow....
Since then I’ve found 2 wallets and a pocketbook. Returned the wallets to owners and the pocketbook to the P.D. No rewards taken.
Craig

Great story, Craig  Sadly, my story is not near as noble. But, I will tell it none the less. 
  For the first couple years after I got out of the Navy, I spent many an evening at a strip club called the Great Alaskan Bush Company. (And many dollars) One evening I was driving home after an evening of debauchery. Back then I made good money and had few bills (no wife or kids yet). My saving strategy wasn't very refined yet though. I would hang on to my pay checks without cashing them. This night I probably had $6,000 worth of uncashed checks in my wallet. After a 15 mile drive home in the middle of the winter, I realized I didn't have my wallet.  I was sure one of the dancers must have lifted it from me. I called payroll the next day and sheepishly explained what happened. They said if the checks weren't cashed within the next couple days the could reissue them. I was sure I was screwed, but no one cashed them and I was reissued the pay checks. About a week later a Borough garbage truck driver called me and said he found my wallet on the side of the highway. After thinking about it, I remember opening my door as I was driving and slamming it shut because it wasn't closed all the way. My wallet must have slipped out as I got in the truck and got stuck in the door as I closed it.
 The garbage truck driver returned my wallet with the checks and maybe a hundred in cash. I was too embarrassed to call up payroll again. I just burnt the checks. Sadly, I didn't wise up about spending so much time and money at the "Bush Company" for a couple more years. 


As I said, not a very noble story at all. But, it's mine. 

[scooperhsd]

Heck, one time, me and the other officers in our department took our dept head (CDR) out for lunch in trop whites to a "gentlemen's club" in DC....

[Jess from VA]

I represented a SrA SP overseas.  He was a good cop with an outstanding record.  He was liked by everyone in his squadron.  He had found a wallet with some $87 in it and turned it in.  When the owner got it back, he knew exactly how much he had (something I could never tell you), and it was two dollars short.  When asked about it, the SP guiltily admitted that he took the two dollars to get something to eat.  He was broke short of payday and had not eaten all day.  He wanted to pay it back, but it was too late.  It never occurred to him to deny it, or suggest the owner was wrong, or that someone else took the money before he found the wallet.

He didn't get an Art 15, but he lost his clearance and he lost his career field, that day (and would have to cross train to some other career field).  He sat in my office and cried like he had lost a brother.

Of all the cases and clients I had over the years, I think I felt sorrier for him than any other.

Heck, one time, me and the other officers in our department took our dept head (CDR) out for lunch in trop whites to a "gentlemen's club" in DC..  

I'll bet that was Archibalds on K Street.  

[Rams]

I liked that video.  Kind of restores my faith in mankind--whoops, I mean peoplekind.

Yes, it was a cool video with a pretty cool result but........

My faith in humanity is not all that strong due to a specific event.  A few Christmases ago.

I went to our local Wally World to buy a Christmas present for my wife.   I started to purchase the gift with our family debit card but then decided to use my personal card which is a totally separate account.  I was in a hurry and laid the family card down on the counter and paid with the my personal debit card.  Apparently I forgot to pick up the family debit card.

I left and was headed back home, about twenty minutes later I got a call from the security folks that noticed some unnatural or unusual transactions on my now lost card.  It seems that my card had just purchased over a thousand dollars worth of shoes at a store I had never been into.    I immediately asked security folks to shut that card down.    Before the end of that night, the card was used or attempted to be used for almost $12,000 worth of transactions I was told by my credit union.  Only a few of the transactions got the thieves any products.   But, it made for a sad Christmas because that card was locked down and my newly issued card would not be activated until the following Monday after Christmas.  

If I had left my wallet, I have no doubt that thief would used all the cash, all the cards and I would have become an identity theft victim.   My fault but, I don't have all that much faith in humanity.    I'm no saint or angel, temptation is always there.   I try to avoid those temptations.  

Rams

[Fazer]

Yeah, Ron.  Same thing happened to my son at Wal Mart.  Guess the lesson, is don't shop for presents at Wal Mart.