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Diana
Inspector
Username: Diana
Post Number: 338
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, October 25, 2004 - 2:56 pm: |       |
What, if anything, is being done to facilitate the return of missing evidence? If my Great Uncle dies, leaving me all his worldly goods, and in cleaning out his attic, I find something that would solve the murders once and for all, what would I do? First of all I would worry that posessing this whatever thingummy is illegal. Will I be prosecuted if I come forward with it? If I return it anonymously, will I be passing up a chance to become rich? It might be of value to research some of these issues, and publish the results so we can facilitate the return of some of these items. What exactly is the status of someone who finds something pilfered from a police evidence room? Do they have any legal right of posession? Can they legally make money by selling this thing? Just what is the position of such a person? Would coming forward lead to a family scandal? Would people want to know just how my great uncle got this thing in the first place, or maybe they're wondering if I really got it from his attic or if I'm covering up something far less savory.
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Andrew Spallek
Chief Inspector
Username: Aspallek
Post Number: 618
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Monday, October 25, 2004 - 4:58 pm: | |
Diana,
I'm not sure what British law would have to say about this, but I'd bet the statute of limitations has long run out on this. Now if it were you that had been concealing the pilfered evidence all these years, you would in effect be perpetually in the act of committing the crime and thus the statute of limitations might not apply.
Of course, if the "thinguumy" you found was property of Scotland Yard, you would be required to return it rather than keeping or selling it.
Andy
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