Distinguish lost, mislaid, and abandoned property and give examples of each

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

• Lost property may be subject to larceny depending on the nature of the property and where it is found. If there is a reasonable likelihood that the rightful possessor will come back and look for it, it can be the object of larceny. If a person finds a dollar bill on the public sidewalk, it is unlikely that the loser will even know it's gone, much less where to find it. This would not be larceny. However, if a taxi driver finds a diamond ring on the floor in the back of his cab, it is likely that the rightful possessor will be looking for it and might return. If the cab driver immediately keeps the ring intending to permanently deprive the rightful possessor of his property, he has committed larceny.
• Mislaid: If a person leaves his/her wallet on the back seat of a taxi after paying the fare, this is mislaid property. It is highly likely that the person will remember where he/she left the property and return for it. Additionally, if the wallet contains identification of the rightful possessor, keeping the wallet with the intent to permanently deprive is larceny.
• Property that appears abandoned, such as an old car parked on the street in the same spot for 90 days, may not be taken without being subject to larceny. Whether or not property is abandoned depends on the intent of the rightful possessor of the property. Thus, it would be necessary to contact the owner of the vehicle to ascertain his/her intent. If the owner/possessor of the car says he/she doesn't want the car, the taker may then take the car and becomes the rightful possessor.