Dallas keeps $2,000 found by honest teen

[EpyonXero]

http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Dallas-decides-to-keep-cash-found-by-honest-teen-121609364.html

DALLAS — Dallas will keep $2,000 found by a teenager in a parking lot last February.

The money will go into the city's general fund — not back to Plano high school student Ashley Donaldson, who found the cash in an envelope at the Pavillion Shopping Center in North Dallas.

"I don't regret making the decision I did," she said. "I feel proud of myself for giving the money back. It's one of the biggest decisions of my life."

The 15-year-old Shepton High School student spotted the money on the ground and took it to a nearby Chase Bank.

Over the last three months, the bank and Dallas police have tried to find the owner, but have had no luck.

On Tuesday, police said under a new city policy, the unclaimed money will go into Dallas' general fund — not back to the person who found it, as in years past.

"We appreciate your honesty," said Dallas police spokesman Senior Cpl. Kevin Janse. "We're going to put the money to good use. It's not going to be wasted, but put to good use for the City of Dallas."

That's not the answer Ashley Donaldson had been hoping for. "I was thinking about a car," she confessed.

It's also not the lesson her parents wanted her to learn.

"I'm happy that she did what she did, but the way it ended? I wish she didn't find it in the first place, because it certainly didn't teach her the right thing," her father Ben Donaldson said.

At the time Ashley found the envelope full of money, she was living in a one-bedroom apartment with her parents and her four brothers and sisters.

The family had recently moved to Texas from Colorado and could have used the money, but she felt that the $2,000 might mean more to its owner.

"This could be someone else's life, this could be someone's home," she said. "If I took it, I could never live down the guilt that would be in me."

Ashley said the bank was surprised to see such honesty, but her parents weren't.

"It was like an experience that presented itself — like a test — and my daughter passed with flying colors beautifully," said Ben Donaldson.

E-mail ccivale@wfaa.com

[shmike]

It's also not the lesson her parents wanted her to learn.


Lesson:

Don't give the government anything and expect to ever see it again.

[Kaneman]

lol @ people who thought the cops would "do the right thing."

[marko138]

Lesson:

Don't give the government anything and expect to ever see it again.

lol @ people who thought the cops would "do the right thing."

These two motherfuckers: SPOT ON!

[Dave]

Lesson:

Don't give the government anything and expect to ever see it again.

Truth.

I've often wondered what I would do in this situation and I feel the smart plan would be to slowly dole the cash out towards my cost of living. Gas, food, public transportation and maybe the odd bike part would allow me to maintain a low profile and enjoy the spoils

[Kaneman]

Truth.

I've often wondered what I would do in this situation and I feel the smart plan would be to slowly dole the cash out towards my cost of living. Gas, food, public transportation and maybe the odd bike part would allow me to maintain a low profile and enjoy the spoils

Its a tough thing man. I'd love to find the poor bastard that dropped $2k and give it back to him, because losing $2,000 is worse than finding $2,000 is awesome....

But its cash, and if there's no one around I'm keeping it and hanging onto it for a while. Maybe someone posts an ad about the loss and I find them...but I don't think it should be used as a tax for the city.

[marko138]

Its a tough thing man. I'd love to find the poor bastard that dropped $2k and give it back to him, because losing $2,000 is worse than finding $2,000 is awesome....

But its cash, and if there's no one around I'm keeping it and hanging onto it for a while. Maybe someone posts an ad about the loss and I find them...but I don't think it should be used as a tax for the city.
1 billion percent truth.

[Homeslice]

It says the police and the bank tried for 3 months to find the owner......What else do you want them to do? If anyone with half a brain dropped 2 grand on the ground next to a bank, they would have contacted the bank the very next day. But they didn't........... and plus they were given 3 more months to do so.

She made the right choice. Hanging on to the money and posting an ad in Craigslist" is laughable and self-serving to say the least. I bet less than 1% of the population even uses Craigslist, and even if they did it wouldn't be their first place to check.

[Trip]

They should give her one of the auction cars. That's what she wants, give her a car.

[Gas Man]

Bottom line she did the right thing.

The bank & city did the right thing.

Till the city decided it was better for them to just keep it under a "new policy". I sure hope the local press is all over the city because of this. Complete horseshit.

[EpyonXero]

It says the police and the bank tried for 3 months to find the owner......What else do you want them to do? If anyone with half a brain dropped 2 grand on the ground next to a bank, they would have contacted the bank the very next day. But they didn't........... and plus they were given 3 more months to do so.

She made the right choice. Hanging on to the money and posting an ad in Craigslist" is laughable and self-serving to say the least. I bet less than 1% of the population even uses Craigslist, and even if they did it wouldn't be their first place to check.

The issue is that the city decided to keep it instead of givving it to the finder like they said they would.

[marko138]

The issue is that the city decided to keep it instead of givving it to the finder like they said they would.
He's just trying to ruin our good time.

[Adeptus_Minor]

See, this is why honesty and selflessness are in such short supply today.
It would be nice to think that doing the right thing is its own reward, but that little feeling of satisfaction only goes so far.
There has to be a tangible reward now and then or we forget why it's supposed to feel good.

But, you know, this was a valuable lesson to that young lady.
She'll be reminded of it several years down the road when she busts her ass on some project at work and gets a cheap print shop award to hang in her cubicle...while her boss gets a nice fat bonus for delivering the project on time and under budget.
:td:

[defector]

They should give her one of the auction cars. That's what she wants, give her a car.

Sounds feasible.

[azoomm]

The issue is that the city decided to keep it instead of givving it to the finder like they said they would.

Exactly. It's a damn shame.

[Particle Man]

Lesson:

Don't give the government anything and expect to ever see it again.

lol @ people who thought the cops would "do the right thing."

'nuff said. Nailed it.

[Apoc]

Truth.

I've often wondered what I would do in this situation and I feel the smart plan would be to slowly dole the cash out towards my cost of living. Gas, food, public transportation and maybe the odd bike part would allow me to maintain a low profile and enjoy the spoils

its 2k, not 200k. Its not like you'd suddenly be able to buy everything you've ever wanted. Nobody would notice you spending 2k.

[Apoc]

It says the police and the bank tried for 3 months to find the owner......What else do you want them to do? .

Give the money to the girl who fucking found it. It may not belong to her, but it sure as fuck doesn't belong to the city.

[fasternyou929]

See, this is why honesty and selflessness are in such short supply today.
It would be nice to think that doing the right thing is its own reward, but that little feeling of satisfaction only goes so far.
There has to be a tangible reward now and then or we forget why it's supposed to feel good.
Exactly, and had the original owner claimed the money there's no doubt she would get a huge level of satisfaction from knowing she made it happen.

But now someone else has decided to keep it (and had to change the rules to do so) and she'll feel jaded. I'm sure $2000 is going to make a HUGE difference in Dallas' budget, too. Yay for shortsightedness!

[OneSickPsycho]

The issue is that the city decided to keep it instead of givving it to the finder like they said they would.

Exactly, and had the original owner claimed the money there's no doubt she would get a huge level of satisfaction from knowing she made it happen.

But now someone else has decided to keep it (and had to change the rules to do so) and she'll feel jaded. I'm sure $2000 is going to make a HUGE difference in Dallas' budget, too. Yay for shortsightedness!

Yes, I'm sure the city passed a law over the course of the three months it took to find the person who lost $2k... just so they could absorb that money.

If you look up the story again, you'll see that the law was actually put into use in 2009, it's being thrown out because it contradicts state law, and they will be giving her the money... and $5,500 the police association raised for her...

http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/05/the-buck-stops-here-dallas-pol.html

Nope, that can't be right though... it's gotta be some conspiracy to fuck over a 15-year old girl out of $2k she found in a parking lot. :?:

[fasternyou929]

I said rule, not law, and it's pretty easy to change a "policy" just because someone wants to. Glad you had time to look up more information, I just commented on the post.

Good to hear they're doing the right thing.

[Homeslice]

The issue is that the city decided to keep it instead of givving it to the finder like they said they would.

I don't see where it says they promised her anything.

[fasternyou929]

I don't see where it says they promised her anything.

On Tuesday, police said under a new city policy, the unclaimed money will go into Dallas' general fund — not back to the person who found it, as in years past.
Not an exact quote, but...

[Homeslice]

Right, but it sounds like "Tuesday" is simply when the newspaper interviewed the police. It isn't when the "unclaimed funds will remain with the city" policy was created. According to OSP, that happened back in 2009. Sounds like this girl and her dad weren't paying attention.

[Particle Man]

I like this one:

http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2011/05/chiefbrb4-thumb-450x159-113299.jpg

[anthonyk]

Right, but it sounds like "Tuesday" is simply when the newspaper interviewed the police. It isn't when the "unclaimed funds will remain with the city" policy was created. According to OSP, that happened back in 2009. Sounds like this girl and her dad weren't paying attention.

Well, I know I'm 100% familiar with the turning-in-lost-money policies of my city. :skep:

I've always operated off the assumption that the reason you turn in found items to the city or police is to facilitate the original owner finding it. If they never claim it, it ought to go back to the finder. Even preschoolers know that one.

[Adeptus_Minor]

and they will be giving her the money... and $5,500 the police association raised for her...



Ok, that makes me feel better. :D

[OneSickPsycho]

I like this one:

http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/assets_c/2011/05/chiefbrb4-thumb-450x159-113299.jpg

Seems like a stand up guy...

[Dave]

its 2k, not 200k. Its not like you'd suddenly be able to buy everything you've ever wanted. Nobody would notice you spending 2k.

I said situation numbnuts, I never mentioned a figure

[fasternyou929]

Right, but it sounds like "Tuesday" is simply when the newspaper interviewed the police. It isn't when the "unclaimed funds will remain with the city" policy was created. According to OSP, that happened back in 2009. Sounds like this girl and her dad weren't paying attention.

True, but the article says "new policy", which would be poor wording for something started 2 years ago.

Oh well, at any rate it sounds like the girl is getting the money she found and them some.

[shmike]

lol @ people who thought the cops would "do the right thing."

Yeah.

Fuckin' pigs.

... and $5,500 the police association raised for her...

[Homeslice]

Yeah.

Fuckin' pigs.

PWNED :lol:

[Homeslice]

Well, I know I'm 100% familiar with the turning-in-lost-money policies of my city. :skep:


Ignorance of the law is no excuse. redflip

[Particle Man]

Yeah.

Fuckin' pigs.

Only later after someone else stepped in...

[Apoc]

I don't see where it says they promised her anything.


Whats your fucking point? What gives the city more right to the money than the girl has?

[buzzcutt2]

Whats your fucking point? What gives the city more right to the money than the girl has?

The city has more lawyers and more corrupt politicians to pay.

[fujimoh]

So if you live in Dallas and you find money, and you want to do good with it, don't tell anyone and give it to a local charity like a food bank, homeless shelter or crisis center.