What would you do if there is 500 euros sticking out of an ATM and there is no one to be seen? A man in Beek en Donk knew it well: he kept the money himself. But the police now threaten to share camera images if the perpetrator does not report. When are you actually punishable if you find money on the street?
You are a thief faster than you think, explains former chief public prosecutor Jan Wolter Wabeke from Best. “If you find and pick up a 2 euro coin on the street, no one will be surprised. But it is not yours and therefore a form of theft.”
In practice, you don’t have to expect the police on your doorstep for a few euros. But the higher the amount, the more you need to be aware of what you are doing.
“Everyone can feel on their feet that that money doesn’t just come out of the ATM.”
The ‘pin thief’ in Beek en Donk probably knew he was wrong. Because seventeen seconds earlier, the rightful owner of the money tried to withdraw the money. Because it took so long, that pinner went away. But even if you happen to walk by, you are punishable. “Everyone can sense that money won’t come out of the machine without someone putting a card in it. And so you are punishable if you take it with you and do not report it.”
You do not report this to the police, but to the municipality. “You can hand it in there or you can keep it yourself,” explains Hanneke Stegweg of iLost, a website where lost items can be registered and found. “If the rightful owner does not show up within a year, you can keep it yourself. For amounts under 450 euros, this already applies after three months.”
“If it’s a silly boy, the punishment is different than for a cunning drug trafficker.”
Wabeke understands that the police take this case so highly and threaten to share camera images. “Theft at and via ATMs has become part of a stricter policy.” The lawyer does not dare to say what punishment the man will face if he does not report. “If it is a silly boy, it is different from a cunning drug trafficker But if he has no criminal record, it will probably be a fine or community service.”
And what is the best thing to do if you find money yourself in a payment terminal? Then wait a minute. Then the valve closes automatically and the money is automatically refunded to the owner’s account.
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