Did You Acquire Lost or Mislaid Property in Pennsylvania?

To be charged with theft of lost or mislaid property in Pennsylvania, certain factors have to be examined in the situation. This charge is sometimes referred to as one which relates to the old playground rule ‘finders keepers losers weepers’, but depending on the situation a person can end up being convicted of actual theft. Even if the person who found a lost or abandoned item says that they were not aware of the law, they could still be arrested for keeping the stolen property. But, in many cases, discretion is exercised to determine the true intentions of the offender, and if they really deserve to be punished for retaining the item(s).

If a person is accused of theft of lost property in Pennsylvania, they would have had to knowingly keep the item(s) while being fully aware of who they belong to. In actuality, the person who finds the abandoned property has claim to it to anyone except the original owner. Still, if the situation is obvious (such as a person finding an abandoned car with the keys in the ignition then driving off in it), then it is common sense that the offender realized that, even though no one was around the vehicle, it belonged to someone else and should not have been bothered.

Another example of this type of theft would be if a person finds cash money out in public somewhere. Let’s say a woman finds $500 in cash on the ground on her walk to work. The money is in a place where hundreds of people walk every day, and the money could really belong to anyone out there on the street. Unless someone can prove that the cash is theirs, the lady has claim to it. But, if the woman had found a purse with $500 that also had the identification of the person it belonged to and their address, then the amount of conduct fairness and honesty of the finder could end up being the ultimate determinant of their right to the property.

When it comes to lost or mislaid property theft in Pennsylvania, it can be hard for an accused person to know their rights being that they probably did not realize they did anything wrong. If this is your situation, it would be to your benefit to contact a reputable and reliable criminal defense attorney to argue your case. They can help prove that you are innocent of this type of theft, and that you did not intend to do anyone any harm.