Did You Forget DVD Gifts in an ATM Vestibule?

Reader Stephen wrote us with a holiday-related request:

I don't know how else to handle this. I called the police and they told me to keep them, and that if I turned them in to the police
they'd just auction them off.

Anyway, I found about $200 worth of DVDs at the Citibank ATM [below 23rd Street in Manhattan].

They were new, unopened in a Virgin Megastore bag.

I left my number there but who knows how long it will stay up.

I really want to get these back to their rightful owner! Someone may
go without their DVD presents tomorrow. Sad!!!

Please help! Post my story to get the word out!

That is all. Thank you.

We left out the location of the DVDs, because if you really lost 'em, you'd know it. And isn't that interesting about the police auctioning off the DVDs? At any rate, we think it's nice that Stephen wanted to make sure someone wasn't gift-less. 'Tis the season, folks.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on December 25, 2007 10:04 AM

Comments [rss]

ed_Extinct

$200 worth? what is that about 8 DVD's?

zodak

the citibank should have surveillance footage of the person who left it there. hurry, before it gets erased.

groovehouse

Maybe the DVD's were a gift for the next person who used the ATM?

saveferris47

Toby: My experience with Apple is that they will not use serial numbers to return merchandise to folks or to keep a watch out if anyone attempts to service stolen merchandise. Sad thinking about someone else taking my stolen laptop to the genius bar but their company policy is not to meddle.

saveferris47

Toby: My experience with Apple is that they will not use serial numbers to return merchandise to folks or to keep a watch out if anyone attempts to service stolen merchandise. Sad thinking about someone else taking my stolen laptop to the genius bar but their company policy is not to meddle.

vonnenwick

Hey! Have you tried going to virgin megastore to see if they purchased it with a cc?

I would keep trying to find who they belonged to.

vonnenwick

Hey! Have you tried going to virgin megastore to see if they purchased it with a cc?

I would keep trying to find who they belonged to.

Dude69

I say instead of giving change to the homeless people on the street, just give them each a DVD. I am sure they can enjoy the movies with their other homeless buddies once someone give them a DVD player.

Tim N.

I once heard that if you turned in found cash to the police they gave you a receipt for it, then held it for thirty days and if it wasn't claimed then it was yours. So I say work the problem for thirty days and then either keep 'em or see if you can return them to Virgin and get a credit for them or something.

Either way, you're a good soul. Merry Christmas.

Toby von Meistersinger

To Stephen:

If you can't find the rightful owner and don't want to keep them you could donate them to a hospital or nursing home.

To miss mess:

Did you take the iPod you found to the Apple Store?

They could have possibly found out the owner from the serial number.

I once found a cell phone, wasn't able to figure out who it belonged to, so I called the provider and left it at one of their stores, where the owner could pick it up after they were contacted.

Tim N.

I once heard that if you turned in found cash to the police they gave you a receipt for it, then held it for thirty days and if it wasn't claimed then it was yours. So I say work the problem for thirty days and then either keep 'em or see if you can return them to Virgin and get a credit for them or something.

Either way, you're a good soul. Merry Christmas.

JacqueMehoff

You did all you can and no one will fault you.

some would say you went above and beyond, wait, was your 311 call logged in case the rules changed?

did you get a complaint number?

Enjoy your Holiday and New Year.

freddyhere

Was the Citibank branch notified? Just a thought...

str1cken

Well, I think wallets are a different story. They were pretty clear on the phone that a wallet typically has identification in it, making finding the owner much easier.

There wasn't even a receipt in the bag, so...

Anyway.

But yeah, the whole operation lucky bag thing really surprised me in contrast with the reaction I got on the telephone with the police which was something like this:

"I found a bag of DVDs? Like, new unopened ones."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yup. And I called 311 and they transferred me here."

"Well, what do you want us to do about it?"

"I was hoping you could tell me what to do about it."

"Well, it's Christmas, so. Well. You know."

"Keep them?"

"You could do that. Or you could bring them in. But if you bring them in we'll just auction them off. So you should probably just keep them."

"Okay."

Thanks again, everyone!

miss_mess

i found a lost iPod last xmas, and despite my efforts to locate its owner, i never did. i posted fliers on the street, craigslist ads, etc.

eventually, i just gave it to a friend who'd had his iPod stolen earlier that year.

Stephen, if you can't find the rightful owner of the dvd's, i recommend donating them to a charity before giving them to the police to auction off.

happy holidays!

JacqueMehoff

He called the Police, not actually going to the station. who knows what would happen if he went in person.

remember operation lucky bag and the lost and found audit.

rikomatic

Good on you, Stephen! What a sweet Christmas story.

sandradayoconnor

Given that police are arresting people for not immediately turning in planted, "lost" wallets, this article really restores my faith in their ability to locate items' owners, and it makes me feel good about turning lost wallets in to them.