Seven people have handed in lost money to the authorities since last July. A further 13 delivered wallets and purses – with or without cash – in the same period.

A list of returned items, published every three months, shows that mobile phones were, once again, the most commonly lost items, with 40 handsets being delivered to police stations over the past six months. 

Twelve people handed in rings, bracelets and earrings, as well as a single wrist watch.

The list, which, in the past, has included anything from a billiard cue to a rubber dinghy, is sadly lacking in novelty this time around. It does, however, include two tool sets, three tablets, a pair of sunglasses, a car stereo and a school bag.

By law, anyone finding lost property (intriguingly, the law specifically excludes “treasure troves”) is obliged to return it without delay to the original owner or deliver it to the police.

Anything the police receive is held for six months, after which, if it is not claimed by the original owner, ownership falls to the finder and, failing that, to the State. 

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