Finders keepers? Police say not so fast

Rochester Police are seeking this woman who allegedly took found money from a self-checkout at Hannaford's on North Main Street. (Courtesy photos)

ROCHESTER - Finders Keepers is an old English saying steeped in ancient Roman law.

But this isn’t ancient Rome or feudal Britain, it’s 2014 Rochester.

If you find something of value, including money, return it to its proper owner or someone in authority who can facilitate its return, or face the consequences, including a day in court and a hefty fine.

The official New Hampshire law is theft of lost or misplaced property, and it’s thought two area women may have run afoul of the statute in the past week.

Rochester Police are taking the cases as seriously as any crime, and say it’s all about doing the right thing.

April Simmons-Brunke

“People aren’t always honest, and when they’re not, it’s a crime,” said Rochester Police Capt. Gary Boudreau on Monday. “This is all about doing the right thing. If it’s not yours, don’t take it.”

It started a week ago with a Milton woman arrested for allegedly taking the contents of a wallet left in a shopping cart at an unnamed Rochester store.

April Simmons-Brunke, 55, of Milton, was charged with theft of lost or mislaid property.

Police say she took the money then discarded the wallet.

She was identified through a Facebook post put out by Rochester Police that included a surveillance camera image.

Simmons-Brunke was released on $1,500 personal recognizance bail pending an arraignment next month.

Then over this past weekend Rochester Police reported they are seeking a woman suspected of taking money left at a supermarket self-scan checkout.

Police say a man used a debit card at the North Main Street Hannaford’s and asked for cash back, but failed to take the money from the dispenser when leaving the store.

The female suspect is thought to have then seen the forgotten cash and left with it.

Both alleged thefts are classified under the theft of lost or misplaced property statute and are misdemeanor B infractions, punishable by fines but no jail time.

Boudreau said the classification is dependent on the amount of value of the stolen items.

But how about if someone find’s a loose dollar in the parking lot at Cumby’s?

“If it’s not yours, it’s a crime,” said Boudreau, who advises those who find lost property to return it someone in authority so they can work to locate the rightful owner.

He said if no one claims it after a certain amount of time, the finder is awarded the money or goods.

He said recently a young man found a Nintendo 3 DS player in Gonic and brought it to police. Boudreau said police will hold onto it and wait to see if anyone claims it. If no one does, the Gonic resident will rightfully be awarded the game station.

“Whatever someone finds, it’s not theirs until it’s cleared through the proper channels,” Boudreau said.

That lesson may be painfully learned by a couple of area women who may have acted before they thought, especially in light of ubiquitous surveillance cameras in most local stores.