Lost Phone Theft Consequences

Summary

In New York, keeping and using lost property can be considered theft. If the police do not act on your report, filing a formal complaint may help. Consider small claims court for damages.

Full Conversation

If I dropped my cell phone on a sidewalk and a stranger kept it and was using it is the stranger committing a crime
Hi Patrick! Yes, in New York, keeping and using someone else's lost property can be considered theft. The stranger could be charged with larceny if they knew the phone was lost and intentionally kept it without trying to return it. Do you need help with taking further action?
I got my phone back I found it in a dumpster but me and my brother we dropped it on the sidewalk in a town called Ronkonkoma in Suffolk County New York near farmingville New York and some how someone took it and placed it in a dumpster across town
Hi Patrick! I'm glad you got your phone back. If you'd like to take action against the person who took your phone, you could report the incident to your local police department. They can help investigate the matter further. Do you need assistance with finding contact details for the police or any other legal advice?
I reported to the police that someone was using our phone and I showed them the locations of where the phones GPS tracker said it was being used but the cops didn't feel like going to the where he's at
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Hi Patrick! It looks like the police did not take action based on the GPS data you provided. Unfortunately, sometimes they may not pursue certain cases due to resource constraints or other priorities.
Have you considered filing a formal complaint with the police department about their inaction? This might prompt them to investigate further.
No
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Filing a formal complaint with the police department can be a good step. You can also look into small claims court for any damages caused by the loss and retrieval of the phone. Would you need assistance with the process to file a complaint or any other legal advice?