[Burlington]

Originally Posted by jbk45

I started this thread looking for help and the immediate advice I received from this community was largely helpful to me. It's also been an important learning experience as all of my watches are now insured. As is often the case on these forums, people enter the conversation with opinions and judgements, many uninformed and without having even read the thread for full context.

As far as where things are with this case - I didn't elect to file or pursue charges. The police made a determination that criminal charges were warranted based on the investigation they conducted which included reviewing security camera video and speaking with the individual who recovered and was in possession of my watch. It was and isn't a situation where I asked them to take any action against the individual - when the police and DA determined a crime has been committed, they chose pursue charges accordingly. When it comes to recovery and restitution, I'm following the guidance that's been provided to me by authorities in an effort to be made as close to whole as possible for my loss. Should a judge determine restitution is not warranted, I'll readily accept that outcome. I don't wish for this person to go to jail and it likely won't even come to that. I have no expectation of recovering any monies and it has no bearing on the charges that have been filed.

It sounds like some of you think I deserve to have lost the watch for how carelessly I handled it and that there should be no consequences for the individual who "found" it (and made a conscious decision to keep it for themselves, instead of honoring their legal obligation to return it.) Shame on me for attempting to exhaust every avenue at my disposal to recover my property and pity on the individual who knowingly found and kept something of significant value that did not belong to them...because finders keepers.

People can go back and forth all day about "finder's keepers" but there are laws, which I've posted here, that very clearly stipulate how lost and found property is legally supposed to be handled. The individual in possession of my watch was also an airport employee, which comes with a whole other set of legal obligations and expectations with respect to how lost property is treated once recovered by an employee. Even if they weren't, it wouldn't change the nature of the "crime" as stipulated by law.

For those who are tired of the thread, don't click on it anymore and you won't have to be "bothered." I'm just providing updates to the many members that have expressed an interest in hearing them.

Well said. For one I’m still keen to keep getting updates. So please do continue with them.