Spring Break
Letter to the editor: Policy of auctioning students' lost items on eBay is nothing short of appalling
Issue date: 9/22/08 Section: Voices
I am a current student at WCC. On the first day returning to classes this semester last Tuesday, I found an ipod laying on the ground in the parking lot. Remembering in the past how I had left a flash drive in one of the computers at the college, and having it returned, I immediately headed over to the security office to turn in the ipod to lost and found.
Today, I had to run out to the college and turn in a paper. I decided to stop by the security office to inquire if a lost and found item was not claimed, would the finder be able to get it back. I want to start by saying that I sincerely hope that the ipod had already been found and picked up by the owner. Having said that, after asking the people at the security office my question, I was informed that "if the item is not claimed, then we put it on ebay."
To this, I replied "Well, that's kind of dirty." The lady seemed shocked that I would claim such a thing, and said "Dirty??" and I replied "Yeah, dirty. Ok, thank you." and I left.
The more I thought on this, the more irritated I became for a few reasons. Firstly, isn't that illegal in some way? Selling an item that does not belong to you? Why should they profit from somebody's lost item. Secondly, how long do they keep these items before they decide it's time to go make some free cash on ebay? What if it isn't right away that the person notices their item missing? Do they go to lost and found to learn their item was once there and now in the hands of some buyer from ebay?
From now on, I will NOT be turning any items that I find to the school. NOR, will I be putting them up on ebay for a quick buck. I will simply post some flyers on message boards on campus with my phone number, and post on Craigslist.com.
I encourage students to take very good care of valuables, and if you lose something, IMMEDIATELY check the lost and found at WCC, or who knows, you may just have to enter a bid war on ebay for YOUR property.
Sincerely,
Jason Shepard
Today, I had to run out to the college and turn in a paper. I decided to stop by the security office to inquire if a lost and found item was not claimed, would the finder be able to get it back. I want to start by saying that I sincerely hope that the ipod had already been found and picked up by the owner. Having said that, after asking the people at the security office my question, I was informed that "if the item is not claimed, then we put it on ebay."
To this, I replied "Well, that's kind of dirty." The lady seemed shocked that I would claim such a thing, and said "Dirty??" and I replied "Yeah, dirty. Ok, thank you." and I left.
The more I thought on this, the more irritated I became for a few reasons. Firstly, isn't that illegal in some way? Selling an item that does not belong to you? Why should they profit from somebody's lost item. Secondly, how long do they keep these items before they decide it's time to go make some free cash on ebay? What if it isn't right away that the person notices their item missing? Do they go to lost and found to learn their item was once there and now in the hands of some buyer from ebay?
From now on, I will NOT be turning any items that I find to the school. NOR, will I be putting them up on ebay for a quick buck. I will simply post some flyers on message boards on campus with my phone number, and post on Craigslist.com.
I encourage students to take very good care of valuables, and if you lose something, IMMEDIATELY check the lost and found at WCC, or who knows, you may just have to enter a bid war on ebay for YOUR property.
Sincerely,
Jason Shepard
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