if you find a camera, do you give it back?

[corvettejoe]

we had to really twist the guys arm to get him to give the camera back. He said when anything is in the sea it is always finders keepers... and other people at the dive shop agreed with him.

Wow, what a wrong way to think! That wouldn't fly at all in cave country. We lose or leave things behind all the time, and then whenever someone finds it, it makes its way back to the owner almost every time.

 

[toddthecat]

What do people think. Should the camera be given back or is it finders keepers?

If I found his wallet with his ID, credit cards, and cash, then what do you think I should do? Do you think I should give it back? Under his way of thinking he shouldn't be mad if I found his items and kept them but I have this funny feeling he'd be really angry. Just sayin'...

 

[grantwiscour]

I'd give it back for sure. If I didn't know whose camera it was, I would make a good effort to find the owner and return their gear to them.

It's good to read that most of us would do the right thing.

 

[tiger.]

As a dive professional i would of hoped he would give it straight back

 

[fjpatrum]

As a dive professional i would of hoped he would give it straight back

As a decent person who knew who the owner was, I would have hoped he would give it straight back. Unfortunately there are a lot of people who aren't decent.

 

[tplyons]

If I can find any markings, or photos that can help identify the owner, I will make every effort to get it back to them.

If there are no markings or photos that can identify the owner, I will post it on ScubaBoard and Craigslist.

Only if I don't get a response would I consider keeping it. But if I know who it belongs to, I will most certainly return it.

 

[AfterDark]

What kind of question it this? I was taught to try and return anything I find to the rightful owner. Treat others the way you'd like to be treated.

You are dealing with an uncivilized A-hole. Good luck.

 

[Jaydv]

If the item has a name and or contact information of the owner on it makes it more compelling for the finder to locate the owner and return the item. One should be responsible with one's properties by labeling it properly.

 

[richard65]

If it was my camera that I had lost and then been contacted about only to find that the person who had found it wanted to keep it I would have been seriously pissed off. Yes I would have gone there full of thanks and offering to buy him a few beers but then to have it held back and argued over would make my blood boil.

Personally I think it says a lot about the DM who found it and I would be pointing this out to the dive shop he worked in in no uncertain terms. My feeling is that every industry (even a world wide one like DM) is relatively small and I would ensure that this would follow him wherever he went.

Whether it's an expensive camera or a point and shoot it is not the Dm's who found it. Do the right thing.


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[Diver0001]

the guy who found it didn't want to give it back, so my friend (the guy who actually owned the camera and had lost it) offered him money (I think he offered an excessive amount) to try and get him to give the camera back.

---------- Post added July 20th, 2013 at 11:50 PM ----------

we had to really twist the guys arm to get him to give the camera back. He said when anything is in the sea it is always finders keepers... and other people at the dive shop agreed with him.

I am just surprised and was after opinions from others.

When I have found something in the past (like a mask or a torch) I try to find the owner. If I find the owner I give it back if I can't find the owner only then do I keep it.

That would make me spit blood. He would give the camera back to me or I'd be phoning the police to report it as stolen.

R..