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In general terms, that's certainly not the case in the UK; finding someone else's belongings in your house does not give you the right to do what you like with

In general terms, that's certainly not the case in the UK; finding someone else's belongings in your house does not give you the right to do what you like with them.

jessaustin 11y ago
IANAL... There is some difference between "I found this coat that says 'property of Sally Smith' on the label (Sally Smith was a guest at my dinner party over the weekend), well, off to the secondhand clothing store!" and "there is a pile of computer-type equipment in one of our closets, and we're going to sell or toss some of the stuff we aren't using". I don't think the latter case is a crime in any jurisdiction. Keep in mind that a device like this will have no identifying marks, because that would defeat the whole purpose.
- angry_octet 11y ago
  Sorry, it could be theft or its lesser known cousin, conversion, at least in common law jurisdictions. Identifying marks are not required to convict you. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_(law) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_(law)
  - phantom784 11y ago
    Per that article, abandonment is a complete defense to conversion. I'm not sure if abandonment would come into play here or not.
- EliRivers 11y ago
  I don't think the latter case is a crime in any jurisdiction. Unless you've got reasonable belief that it has been abandoned, or you have made reasonable effort to reunite it with its owner, that's very much a crime in many jurisdictions. As a related example, I frequently have to tell people that if the previous occupier of an office or abode left something behind, it still belongs to them. There are various effects of bailment and storage and when you can sell it (and even then the original owner can have a claim on proceeds etc) and what have you, but you can't just take possession of a closet full of computer-type equipment. I don't ANAL.
  - jessaustin 11y ago
    ...you can't just take possession of a closet full of computer-type equipment. That isn't what we're talking about. TFA describes a device that must be hidden on someone else's site (e.g. in a closet belonging to the site owner full of the site owner's own equipment) in order to be used effectively. Thread originator complained from the perspective of the site owner, not that of the super-secret device hider. We're discussing a device that no one will claim to own, ever, by design. In addition to not ANALing, you apparently don't familiarize yourself with the discussion or TFA before injecting pointless pedantry.
    - EliRivers 11y ago
      It's exactly what we're talking about. I quote, from YOU: there is a pile of computer-type equipment in one of our closets, and we're going to sell or toss some of the stuff we aren't using That's what we're talking about, because YOU brought it up. YOU suggested a difference between stealing your friends clothing, and off-loading some computer equipment you found in a closet. If YOU don't want to talk about it, YOU shouldn't bring it up. If YOU want to stop talking about it, YOU shouldn't pretend that it was someone else who brought it up. For what it's worth, even if you DO find some kind of obvious nefarious equipment such as the one in the article, you STILL can't do anything you like with it. Taking someone else's property with the intent to permanently deprive them of it is theft in many, many jurisdictions, even if it is something nefarious and they are up to no good. Take your passive-aggressive whining, put it away and grow up.

In general terms, that's certainly not the case in the UK; finding someone else's belongings in your house does not give you the right to do what you like with them.

jessaustin 11y ago

IANAL... There is some difference between "I found this coat that says 'property of Sally Smith' on the label (Sally Smith was a guest at my dinner party over the weekend), well, off to the secondhand clothing store!" and "there is a pile of computer-type equipment in one of our closets, and we're going to sell or toss some of the stuff we aren't using". I don't think the latter case is a crime in any jurisdiction. Keep in mind that a device like this will have no identifying marks, because that would defeat the whole purpose.

angry_octet 11y ago
Sorry, it could be theft or its lesser known cousin, conversion, at least in common law jurisdictions. Identifying marks are not required to convict you. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_(law) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_(law)
- phantom784 11y ago
  Per that article, abandonment is a complete defense to conversion. I'm not sure if abandonment would come into play here or not.
EliRivers 11y ago
I don't think the latter case is a crime in any jurisdiction. Unless you've got reasonable belief that it has been abandoned, or you have made reasonable effort to reunite it with its owner, that's very much a crime in many jurisdictions. As a related example, I frequently have to tell people that if the previous occupier of an office or abode left something behind, it still belongs to them. There are various effects of bailment and storage and when you can sell it (and even then the original owner can have a claim on proceeds etc) and what have you, but you can't just take possession of a closet full of computer-type equipment. I don't ANAL.
- jessaustin 11y ago
  ...you can't just take possession of a closet full of computer-type equipment. That isn't what we're talking about. TFA describes a device that must be hidden on someone else's site (e.g. in a closet belonging to the site owner full of the site owner's own equipment) in order to be used effectively. Thread originator complained from the perspective of the site owner, not that of the super-secret device hider. We're discussing a device that no one will claim to own, ever, by design. In addition to not ANALing, you apparently don't familiarize yourself with the discussion or TFA before injecting pointless pedantry.
  - EliRivers 11y ago
    It's exactly what we're talking about. I quote, from YOU: there is a pile of computer-type equipment in one of our closets, and we're going to sell or toss some of the stuff we aren't using That's what we're talking about, because YOU brought it up. YOU suggested a difference between stealing your friends clothing, and off-loading some computer equipment you found in a closet. If YOU don't want to talk about it, YOU shouldn't bring it up. If YOU want to stop talking about it, YOU shouldn't pretend that it was someone else who brought it up. For what it's worth, even if you DO find some kind of obvious nefarious equipment such as the one in the article, you STILL can't do anything you like with it. Taking someone else's property with the intent to permanently deprive them of it is theft in many, many jurisdictions, even if it is something nefarious and they are up to no good. Take your passive-aggressive whining, put it away and grow up.