Found 2 GPS Units - dilemma

[s3n8]

Several friends and I were out riding our bikes yesterday when one flatted. We were on a section of gravel road, and it was in the shade, so we all pulled over and waited for the repair. I was looking around, and across the road, I saw something that looked out of place. It looked like a GPS unit or a PDA. I walked across the road, and my buddy said "is it a GPS?". I said, "no, its two GPS's". They were muddy and a little banged up, I figured I would take them home and dry them out, see if they worked.

I stuck them in my pack and brought them home. We have had a lot of rain lately, so I figured they were iffy at best. To my surprise, they both work fine. They also both have a "home" programmed into them. I would like to return them to their rightful owners, but everyone's best guess is that these are stolen, probably tossed from the window by someone getting chased by the fuzz. Why else would there be two units tossed in the ditch?

I thought about calling the cops, but one guy along on the ride (who knows a lot of cops) said they would probably be distributed between the guys at the station. I thought about calling a friend who works for verizon to see if he could pull up a phone number for the home address. I have addresses for these, but they are both like an hour away, and not in the same direction. What if 'home' is the thief? What would you guys do?

 

[mrkristofo]

yeah, put it up on craigslist "Found, two GPS units" and roughly the area where you were in.

"Tell me what they both are and you can get them back"


I've done this with several pairs of skis, a digital camera, and some gloves/goggles. Worked almost every time.


Make at least *some* kind of effort before you keep them.

 

[s3n8]

good idea on craigslist. but...

what if the person who stole them responds? How do I verify they are the real owner?

 

[mrkristofo]

They won't if they're a thief. Think about it. Who knows you're not the cops trying to lure them in?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

good idea on craigslist. but...

what if the person who stole them responds? How do I verify they are the real owner?

I suppose you could also make them verify a couple saved points. If they can give a match with the unit types and some saved points and they are still the thieves, then you move on with a clear conscience that you did the best you could to return them to the rightful owner.

Regardless, I wouldn't suggest a return be done on your own property and I'd plan to run some other errands on the day of return. Or, agree to snail mail them back to the saved "Home" address and not include a return address.

I'd be less concerned about the thief getting them back than giving them another potential target.

 

[s3n8]

Found - GPS Units (2)

maybe it will work?

 

[BADS197]

why not drive to the home location and ask them if they lost a gps and what model?

Do they have the same home location?

 

[ChshreCat]

why not drive to the home location and ask them if they lost a gps and what model?

Do they have the same home location?

If you read his post, I believe he said...

I have addresses for these, but they are both like an hour away, and not in the same direction.

 

[babalu87]

What makes you think they were stolen?

Maybe someone was getting a nice grilled cheese sandwich and they were left there by accident?

 

[pen25]

drive over or mail a letter and say you have the units since you have the address. sounds like they may have fallen out or left on the roof or something. odd that they have two though. i mean not everyone is like me and have a bunch of things like a couple pda's a phone and 2 gps's haha

 

[s3n8]

Yeah, I am not fond of driving, so driving them is pretty much out of the question. I put less than 3000 miles on my car a year. Because I Fkucing hate driving.

I am probably going to send a letter via mail to have them call me if they are missing a gps. My craigslist ad has netted nothing. Oh, and they are from opposite directions, and different makes and models. Therefore I assumed they belonged to different people.

What makes me think they were stolen... Hmm. 2 Units within 2 feet along the side of the road. What other explanation could there be?

 

[ChshreCat]

I'd go back to that spot and see if there are more. Maybe that's where all the lost GPS units go.

 

[s3n8]

Heh, I rode past there (slowly) the last 2 days to see if there were any more gems.

 

[tedpeer]

Sorry, but this is why you never program a GPS unit with home. After they steal your car, they can go steal the rest of your stuff...

 

[pbr_me_asap]

how about contacting the manufacturer? I know when I bought my Garmin, I was forced to register it. If the addresses matched you knew they were the owners

 

[EdWort]

Google the local property tax rolls for the addresses. You will get a name to go with the address, then google that at anywho.com and call them. It will take less than a minute to get a phone number if they are listed.

 

[s3n8]

I mailed a postcard to the address with my phone number to contact if they lost a gps.

Figure even if I give it back to the thieves, better than keeping them.

 

[s3n8]

Got a call an hour ago from the TomTom owner, met him at the local (to me) grocery store parking lot.

He was a class A doosh. Didnt even know it was gone. Didnt even say thanks. WTF. Seemed more concerned with changing out his garage door opener.

 

[pbr_me_asap]

Got a call an hour ago from the TomTom owner, met him at the local (to me) grocery store parking lot.

He was a class A doosh. Didnt even know it was gone. Didnt even say thanks. WTF. Seemed more concerned with changing out his garage door opener.

gotta love people who have no clue someone had gone way out of their way to help them and not even get a "hey thanks" from them

 

[jmendez29]

Hey. You got his home address, I'm assuming he doesn't have yours. You could send him another postcard telling him how much of a *****enozzle he is for not even acknowledging your efforts. No retaliation.

 

[stevea1210]

It is frustrating to go out of your way to do the right thing, and get treated ike a turd for it. i applaud you for attempting to find the owners, and will toast one to you in honor of getting treated like poopoo for it.

 

[Skins_Brew]

Google the local property tax rolls for the addresses. You will get a name to go with the address, then google that at anywho.com and call them. It will take less than a minute to get a phone number if they are listed.

in MD they list a contact phone number on the tax site. So, maybe you will get lucky

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I just stumbled upon this thread (amazing what you find when insomnia hits you) and I am impressed. I am glad to see that there are still people in this world (besides me) that would make the effort to return something that they found, knowing that it was not theirs. As far as the *****enozzle that was unappreciative, fkcu'em. Return the gizmo knowing you did the right thing, even if the *****enozzle didn't deserve it.

 

[s3n8]

No call yet from the other one. County GIS records don't have a match for the home address that is programmed into it. On Google maps looks like a commercial area (strip mall). Wonder if I will get the letter back.