iPod found. What to do?

[sleepyDC]

So today I went shopping and I found iPod video 80GB in the fitting room. I did not want to leave it to the sales assistant since I would never know if they even tried to return it to the owner. I looked at the contact list, it's empty, it has no personal info. It has a bunch of photos and music. Nothing specific in the photos, such as a house with a number, a car so that I could look up the license plate etc. Is there any way to locate the owner? I already posted an ad on craigslist, but I am not counting on that one a lot. Any advice would be appreciated.

If I take it to the Apple store, could they contact the owner?

Thanks.

 

[Kash]

Each iPod has a serial number on it. It's possible that the owner registered the iPod, so technically, the Apple store COULD look up who the serial number is registered to.

If it's not registered to anybody, then you'll probably have to do some sort of lost claim and then after a certain period of time, if it isn't claimed then you get to keep it, or something along those lines (depends on local laws)

 

[Subwall]

your best bet, even though you'll never really know, is to take it back to the store. If i left my iPod in a fitting room, I'd go back to the store. (although, having worked in retail before i can tell you that lost/found boxes are more like a grab bag for employees.) sad but true, if it wasnt claimed by the end of the day, an employee would just take it home.

Though you may try apple, iPods all have some sort of identifying number dont they? Dont know if it's traceable.

 

[MacHeadCase]

Wow! I am in awe of your honesty, sleepyDC. Welcome to Mac-Forums.

You could email Apple and send in the iPod's serial number, ask them to contact the owner and leave them your email addie.

Again, welcome here. I do hope you stick around! :girl:

 

[sleepyDC]

Well, I will go to the Apple store tomorrow and see what they could do. The owner did purchase songs from iTunes (at least there are songs in the purchased music list) so theoretically Apple could locate the owner. I'll give it a try.

as for the store, it was not actually left there, I assume the owner dropped it from the bag because it was on the floor under a pile of clothes and there was nothing else lying around.

 

[Martin.]

could it maybe be stolen and the person got scared and dumped it there?

 

[MaDDoG]

I would let the store know your details and take it to the Police station....surely they have lost/stolen property dept of some sort. If it is a shopping centre (mall) they usually have a centre management and they deal with lost/found property as well.


P.S. I welcome the honesty displayed.

 

[fleurya]

You should probably at least give the store your contact info. I dropped my watch in a changing room, it wasn't a cheap watch either. Luckily some honest person gave it to the nearest clerk and I got it back.

If they haven't already, they'll probably come back to the store when they retrace their steps.

Great to see some honest people around!!

 

[_humfy]

You could contact your local police station. They generally will have a system for lost property which is normally computerised and will be able to check if any iPods have been reported missing or stolen.

They will take the iPod and record it as found property.

If it's not collected in 6 months then it'll be returned to YOU!! (That's what happens here anyway)

 

[bobtomay]

You've got plenty of responses here already, but just felt inclined to add mine to it. Personally, don't trust any store clerks as much as I do myself.
At the location you found it, the person who lost it probably has no clue where/which store it might be in, and would just be backtracking from the last place they saw it.
I would not take it to the police station unless you're wanting to get it back yourself. People who have just lost someting, do not typically call the police.
Would do as others have suggested, give the individual store and mall security your contact info and check to see if Apple may be able to help.

 

[Kilted1]

As someone who has lost an iPod I can tell you I was really pleased to hear that it got handed in to the information desk at the airport I was traveling from. So contact the info desk at the centre and maybe ask apple what to do.

The owner will be so pleased to get it back.

Keep us posted as what happens

 

[sleepyDC]

Thanks for all the responses. As I have said, the iPod was not lost in the mall, so there is no security to report to. I found it in the changing room under a pile of clothes and I assume the person dropped it from the bag and has no clue where it was dropped. Just looking at myself yesterday i took metro, bus, went to more than 10 stores, went to eat etc. So the best bet is to take it to the Apple store since the person did buy music from iTunes so they should have her info (the only think I know about the person is that it's a woman according to the photos)

 

[sleepyDC]

Update. I went to the Apple store today and the person did register the iPod, they did not have the phone number, only the name and email. I left the iPod in the store and they told me if the person does not respond they will give me the iPod. I left my contact info with them, so I will check on the status next week. Hopefully the person will get the iPod back. Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[johntalin]

Thank you for working so hard to do the right thing.

 

[MacHeadCase]

Rep to you sleepy!

 

[mathogre]

sleepyDC, you did the right thing!!!!

 

[cwa107]

Update. I went to the Apple store today and the person did register the iPod, they did not have the phone number, only the name and email. I left the iPod in the store and they told me if the person does not respond they will give me the iPod. I left my contact info with them, so I will check on the status next week. Hopefully the person will get the iPod back. Thanks for all the suggestions.

Very refreshing to see this kind of honesty and integrity. The world could use a few more people like you.

The next time you talk to them, thank your parents for me for doing such a great job

 

[sleepyDC]

Update on the story.

The owner got the iPod back. I got iTunes gift card from the person and the message:

XXXXXXX,

Thank you so much for finding and taking my video iPod to the Apple Store. I can't even tell you how much I appreciate it. I was certain I would never see it again. I hope you will be able to use this iTunes gift certificate. My way of saying thanks.

Warm regards,

XXXXXX

So, everything ended well. Thanks everybody for the comments and all the reps, I just saw that.

 

[Netty4mac]

Wow, that is so great, sleepyDC!!

 

[MacHeadCase]

Aww that's so wonderful! Stick around, sleepy! You're a cool dude or dudette! :girl:

If only there were more people like you!