This is an interesting story. A couple who found a winning lottery ticket on the floor of their local supermarket have been charged with fraud and theft after spending someone else’s lottery winnings. The police became involved and the ticket was proven not to be theirs. The couple involved said “they did not think what they had done was illegal”. I admit, that I did not think what they had done was illegal either until I read this story. I knew it was immoral and wrong, however, as there was no name on the ticket I presumed who ever had possession of the ticket was the legal winner.In my previous blogs I have discussed issues of fraud and theft and depicted them as being bad and completely wrong. However, how many people out there find things on the floor or in the street, on public transport, or left in pubs and clubs? Now, how many of you actually hand the items you have found into the police? I personally have never found anything of value other than the odd £1 coin here and there, but I think if I did find a wallet, bag or jewellery, I would hand it in, as you do know that it rightfully belongs to someone else. You never know what sentimental value these belongings have to the people who have lost them either. I had never really considered finding things, such as lottery tickets or small amounts of money as a form of theft. Technically you have not gone out with the intention of stealing something from someone else, so can this be defined as being really that bad? Apparently the saying 'finders’ keepers, losers weepers’ is not true'. In this situation I think the couple probably did innocently pick up the lottery ticket, although when they discovered it was a winning ticket they should have contacted Camelot, before going ahead and spending the money. I am sure in the back of their minds they knew it was wrong and not legitimately their money to spend.
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