As some of you may have heard, last week we were able to return a stolen training AED and CPR dummy to its owner.
That is the best sort of outcome. The Cambridge owner’s Australian relatives saw a Waikato Police Facebook post seeking information and let him know. It just goes to show the extensive reach of social media. The owner was very happy to have it back. Identification was possible because of specific marks put on the dummy.
It is important to keep a record of any serial numbers or distinguishing features of the property you own. Even photos or notes made of scratches or other marks may help to prove an item is yours. I look forward to bringing you more good news in coming weeks.
On a related topic, I regularly see posts on Facebook where people have found bank cards, car keys jewellery or phones. The finders usually ask for the owner to contact them and claim. It is great that there can be the chance of returning these items. The best approach in these situations however is to take the item to the bank of issue, or hand them into Police as soon as possible and allow us to deal with it.
Where the owner has reported it lost or stolen and we will be able to quickly match the item to them. If you were to accidentally give it to the wrong person responding to a Facebook post, it could cause further loss or deception for the real owner. Equally you cannot just keep found items for yourselves if no one claims them as that falls under theft.
Finally, following on from my Facebook Marketplace column last week, I have heard of buyers initiating purchases and then arriving to collect the item with only a small amount of the total purchase price in hand. If the buyer is a stranger and you give them the goods, perhaps taking them on their word to pay the balance later, and they don’t, this becomes a civil matter, akin to a breach of contract.
While it is in some people’s nature to see the best in people, unfortunately not all people are as honest as we’d hope.
Remember, if the price was communicated and agreed beforehand, the purchaser knew that they were coming with insufficient cash from the outset, regardless of the excuse they may offer.
Protect yourselves from loss and be savvy.
Have a good week and stay safe.
