Take the money and run?
December 27, 2007 10:00 AM Subscribe
MoralFilter:
You're alone in the breakroom of your office. The soda machine is not working and apparently has vomited all of its change since it was last emptied (a week?) down it's change slot. This adds up to something in the neighborhood of $22.
No one will see you do it. It's post-xmas and money is tight. Do you take the money and play it quiet? Or do you find a way to return the cash to the vending company?
And I'm looking for more than a moral judgement. I want to know what you would HONESTLY do in this situation.
No one will see you do it. It's post-xmas and money is tight. Do you take the money and play it quiet? Or do you find a way to return the cash to the vending company?
And I'm looking for more than a moral judgement. I want to know what you would HONESTLY do in this situation.
This post was deleted for the following reason: This is chatfilter. -- cortex
I'd return it, because I'm paranoid, and I would hate to get fired over $22. I would also hate to lose a lot of sleep over the possibility of getting fired over $22. It just doesn't seem worth it to me.
posted by craichead at 10:03 AM on December 27, 2007
posted by craichead at 10:03 AM on December 27, 2007
I'd take it to MetaTalk and see what the mob over there thought.
posted by SassHat at 10:05 AM on December 27, 2007
posted by SassHat at 10:05 AM on December 27, 2007
how are you going to play it quiet with 22 dollars in quarters in your pocket?
posted by BSummers at 10:05 AM on December 27, 2007 [2 favorites]
posted by BSummers at 10:05 AM on December 27, 2007 [2 favorites]
Is the chance of getting caught really zero? Are you sure? Because losing a job, and a reference, and creating a gap in your employment history, is probably worth more than twenty bucks.
posted by box at 10:06 AM on December 27, 2007
posted by box at 10:06 AM on December 27, 2007
Yeah, still stealing. I'd probably just turn it over to an office manager or whoever, or to the vending guy if I saw him the next time he was out.
posted by ferociouskitty at 10:06 AM on December 27, 2007
posted by ferociouskitty at 10:06 AM on December 27, 2007
Response by poster: Is that a "wrong forum" criticism Sass?
posted by Parannoyed at 10:06 AM on December 27, 2007
posted by Parannoyed at 10:06 AM on December 27, 2007
Perhaps the machine is making amends for all the times you got cheated by vending machines. I know over the years I have lost a fair amount of money to them and the few times I tried to get a refund the process wasn't worth the 50 cents or a dollar I would have gotten back. For that reason alone I would keep every last penny and not lose a moment of sleep (although I would probably tip my next bartender or other server very well, and not with the loose change, just to keep the karma flowing in the right direction).
posted by TedW at 10:06 AM on December 27, 2007
posted by TedW at 10:06 AM on December 27, 2007
Return it, or barring that, leave it for someone else to make their own moral judgement - it's too much work for me to get it where it goes, but I wouldn't bother with it.
Now ask me what I'd do if it were $22,000 instead :P
posted by Nodecam at 10:07 AM on December 27, 2007
Now ask me what I'd do if it were $22,000 instead :P
posted by Nodecam at 10:07 AM on December 27, 2007
"Or do you find a way to return the cash to the vending company?"
Very frequently this company may consist of little more than a single owner, running a small business. This machine and the cash it generates may be a significant source of revenue, especially so if money is tight for this enterprise as well. By not returning this money you're effectively stealing from him, albeit in a less than direct manner.
I'd return it. But then again, I'd so the same even if the machine was owned by larger company.
Theft is theft.
posted by Mutant at 10:08 AM on December 27, 2007
Very frequently this company may consist of little more than a single owner, running a small business. This machine and the cash it generates may be a significant source of revenue, especially so if money is tight for this enterprise as well. By not returning this money you're effectively stealing from him, albeit in a less than direct manner.
I'd return it. But then again, I'd so the same even if the machine was owned by larger company.
Theft is theft.
posted by Mutant at 10:08 AM on December 27, 2007
Honestly? I would call the phone number on the vending machine, report their machine out of order, and tell them I will keep the money locked in my desk drawer until someone arrives to collect it. If the vending machine guy goes out of business, I will be a very sadturtle, with no caffeine or chocolate to brighten a dreary workplace.
posted by happyturtle at 10:08 AM on December 27, 2007
posted by happyturtle at 10:08 AM on December 27, 2007
That would be a special lucky golden day! If that happens, clearly the gods are smiling down upon you - it is only right that you respectfully accept the gift that they have bestowed upon you.
I would take it, and I would proudly tell any who cared to listen. "Hey boss! Excellent news, the drink machine is belching treasure! Go see, you might get lucky!"
posted by Meatbomb at 10:11 AM on December 27, 2007
I would take it, and I would proudly tell any who cared to listen. "Hey boss! Excellent news, the drink machine is belching treasure! Go see, you might get lucky!"
posted by Meatbomb at 10:11 AM on December 27, 2007
I wouldn't steal it. I would go steal something less noticeable if I were going to steal. Like whatever you need with that money. Shampoo? Books? Pretty stealable. Just go ahead and be a stealer if you like stealing.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:12 AM on December 27, 2007
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:12 AM on December 27, 2007
Or steal the whole vending machine. Finding someone who's willing to buy a stolen vending machine is an excellent step on the road to a life of crime.
Also: you have a job. That leads me to guess that twenty bucks isn't, like, a save-the-day amount of money.
posted by box at 10:14 AM on December 27, 2007
Also: you have a job. That leads me to guess that twenty bucks isn't, like, a save-the-day amount of money.
posted by box at 10:14 AM on December 27, 2007
In all honesty I would tell my boss what had happened and leave it up to his judgment. If I were in charge and one of my employees told me what had happened, I'd probably divide it up as equally as possible among the people in the office.
posted by sutel at 10:17 AM on December 27, 2007
posted by sutel at 10:17 AM on December 27, 2007
Best answer: If I was in that situation, I wouldn't take it or return it. I'd put it in a dish, label it "Broken Machine, Free Pop!", and place it next to the broken machine. This way everyone gets some broken pop machine love, and what's left will be waiting there whenever machine's owner comes around. Everyone wins!
posted by waxboy at 10:17 AM on December 27, 2007
posted by waxboy at 10:17 AM on December 27, 2007
I would honestly return the money. See above comment re:small business owner missing the approximately $22. Plus, you are taking something that is not yours. I don't want people taking things of mine, so I don't take what belongs to others.
posted by kellyblah at 10:20 AM on December 27, 2007
posted by kellyblah at 10:20 AM on December 27, 2007
Does your company get a cut of the vending machine profits? If so, I'd turn it over to the office manager. I am afraid of breaking the rules and getting caught, so I'd probably just tell someone and hang on to it until they can retrieve it. Not worth $20 to piss someone off (office manager/vending owner/boss/etc). It's not like the machine dropped the 20 on the street and you don't know who it belongs to. You know in this case that the money belongs to the machine and by extension, whoever makes/takes money from the machine. Plus, when the machine guy comes and finds that they sold 50 sodas but only have $3, it might not be pretty.
posted by ml98tu at 10:21 AM on December 27, 2007
posted by ml98tu at 10:21 AM on December 27, 2007
Oh for goodness sakes, just wade into a fountain at night with a burlap sack if you want to get some change.
Honestly? I'd probably take a few bucks worth, but leave the rest. First I'd try to put it in the vending machine to see if it was just going straight through. If it stayed, I'd plug a lot of it back in, and then bounce. Of course, that would just mean free food for the next person, but hey, then they'd be on here posting "It's late, and food is tight - you see $19.50 worth of credit on the vending machine in your breakroom...."
posted by cashman at 10:25 AM on December 27, 2007
Honestly? I'd probably take a few bucks worth, but leave the rest. First I'd try to put it in the vending machine to see if it was just going straight through. If it stayed, I'd plug a lot of it back in, and then bounce. Of course, that would just mean free food for the next person, but hey, then they'd be on here posting "It's late, and food is tight - you see $19.50 worth of credit on the vending machine in your breakroom...."
posted by cashman at 10:25 AM on December 27, 2007
I wouldn't take it, because I'm not a thief.
posted by The corpse in the library at 10:31 AM on December 27, 2007
posted by The corpse in the library at 10:31 AM on December 27, 2007
___.-~"~-._ __....__
.' ` \ ~"~ ``-.
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:` / | \
(`-._|` .-. ( / . `;\\
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"---" /___| /___| /__|########
'""" '""" '"""#########
I'Z JUZT CRAPED QUARTERS
posted by bigmusic at 10:31 AM on December 27, 2007 [2 favorites]
If you're not looking for a moral judgment, then I don't see the point of this question. And if you actually are looking for a moral judgment, then it is: Returning the money to its rightful owner is the right thing to do. The only wiggle room is if you don't, for some good reason, believe that the person who owns the vending machine also owns the proceeds from said vending machine. But I doubt you actually believe that. And it doesn't make a damn bit of difference if someone else's machine, somewhere back in time, cheated you out of a drink.
posted by bricoleur at 10:32 AM on December 27, 2007
posted by bricoleur at 10:32 AM on December 27, 2007
Nthing what craichead said elegantly.
For $22 million dollars - heck, even $220,000 dollars, well, we'd be having a moral conversation about the pros and cons of tiptoeing off to aruba with the money. But for $22? Yeah, I'd think about it for three minutes (insert image of scrooge Mcduck swimming through piles of shiny change here) and then just leave a note on the machine so when they come and service it, they could find me....and give them three months to do so.
Parannoyed, I don't think it's even worth your time for the potential grief craichead mentioned.
posted by anitanita at 10:33 AM on December 27, 2007
For $22 million dollars - heck, even $220,000 dollars, well, we'd be having a moral conversation about the pros and cons of tiptoeing off to aruba with the money. But for $22? Yeah, I'd think about it for three minutes (insert image of scrooge Mcduck swimming through piles of shiny change here) and then just leave a note on the machine so when they come and service it, they could find me....and give them three months to do so.
Parannoyed, I don't think it's even worth your time for the potential grief craichead mentioned.
posted by anitanita at 10:33 AM on December 27, 2007
Response by poster: a couple points:
1. The vending company is very large and won't miss the money terribly.
2. There is zero chance of getting caught.
3. The office does not get a cut of profits.
4. I believe the machine has already been fixed and no one was notified.
5. It seems like some people here are saying that smaller amounts should be returned, but larger amounts are harder to turn down. I personally have the opposite opinion.
6. I actually followed through on the answer I marked best.
posted by Parannoyed at 10:35 AM on December 27, 2007
1. The vending company is very large and won't miss the money terribly.
2. There is zero chance of getting caught.
3. The office does not get a cut of profits.
4. I believe the machine has already been fixed and no one was notified.
5. It seems like some people here are saying that smaller amounts should be returned, but larger amounts are harder to turn down. I personally have the opposite opinion.
6. I actually followed through on the answer I marked best.
posted by Parannoyed at 10:35 AM on December 27, 2007
let's try this again:
___.-~"~-._ __....__
.' ` \ ~"~ ``-.
/` _ ) `\ `\
/` a) / | `\
:` / | \
(`-._|` .-. ( / . `;\\
`-. `--'_.'-.;\___/' . . | \
_ /:--` | / / .'# \\
("\ /`/ | ' ' /### :`;
`\'\_/`/ .\ /`~`=-.: / #### ``
`._.' /`\ | `\ /( ####
/ /\ | `Y / \ ###
J / Y | | /`\ \ ####
/ | | | | | | |#####
"---" /___| /___| /__|########
'""" '""" '"""#########
I'Z JUZT CRAPED Parannoyed !
posted by bigmusic at 10:35 AM on December 27, 2007 WHY IS THIS SO HARD TO GET RIGHT?
posted by bigmusic at 10:38 AM on December 27, 2007
___.-~"~-._ __....__ .' ` \ ~"~ ``-. /` _ ) `\ `\ /` a) / | `\ :` / | \ (`-._|` .-. ( / . `;\\ `-. `--'_.'-.;\___/' . . | \ _ /:--` | / / .'# \\ ("\ /`/ | ' ' /### :`;`\'\_/`/ .\ /`~`=-.: / #### `` `._.' /`\ | `\ /( #### / /\ | `Y / \ ### J / Y | | /`\ \ #### / | | | | | | |##### "---" /___| /___| /__|######## '""" '""" '"""######### I'Z JUZT CRAPED ASCII!
posted by bigmusic at 10:38 AM on December 27, 2007
...all the times you got cheated by vending machines. [...] For that reason alone I would keep every last penny and not lose a moment of sleep...
...except that a vending machine isn't intentionally stealing from you, but you are intentionally stealing from it.
If I was in that situation, I wouldn't take it or return it. I'd put it in a dish, label it "Broken Machine, Free Pop!", and place it next to the broken machine. This way everyone gets some broken pop machine love, and what's left will be waiting there whenever machine's owner comes around. Everyone wins!
...except for the small business owner who fronted the money to purchase the soda in that machine. You're taking money out of his pocket.
Look at it this way: If you accidently dropped your wallet, would you like it to be returned to you as it was, or with all the money missing from it?
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 10:40 AM on December 27, 2007
...except that a vending machine isn't intentionally stealing from you, but you are intentionally stealing from it.
If I was in that situation, I wouldn't take it or return it. I'd put it in a dish, label it "Broken Machine, Free Pop!", and place it next to the broken machine. This way everyone gets some broken pop machine love, and what's left will be waiting there whenever machine's owner comes around. Everyone wins!
...except for the small business owner who fronted the money to purchase the soda in that machine. You're taking money out of his pocket.
Look at it this way: If you accidently dropped your wallet, would you like it to be returned to you as it was, or with all the money missing from it?
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 10:40 AM on December 27, 2007
I would honestly just leave it where it is. I don't want to deal with the consequences of theft (and there are consequences, whether or not one gets caught).
posted by desjardins at 10:42 AM on December 27, 2007
posted by desjardins at 10:42 AM on December 27, 2007
Your points are taken parannoyed - personally, I think the decision would be harder for me if the amount was larger, but I'd still come to the same decision. I'd return the money.
Mainly because I'd want money returned to me if I accidentally lost it. I figure everyone's pretty much the same on that point, across the world -regardless of how much money I had (or didn't), if the person who found my money knew me (or not), if I knew I'd lost it (or not), I'd want it back.
So, I'd return it, not because of who the company is, or I thought I'd get caught. I'd return it because it's what I'd want someone to do for me.
posted by anitanita at 10:48 AM on December 27, 2007
Mainly because I'd want money returned to me if I accidentally lost it. I figure everyone's pretty much the same on that point, across the world -regardless of how much money I had (or didn't), if the person who found my money knew me (or not), if I knew I'd lost it (or not), I'd want it back.
So, I'd return it, not because of who the company is, or I thought I'd get caught. I'd return it because it's what I'd want someone to do for me.
posted by anitanita at 10:48 AM on December 27, 2007
Get a jar or tupperware container or other breakroom vessel and fill it up with the coins. Either give it to your office manager or set it on the counter with a note about its origins if yours is a large and impersonal organization. Unless "it's post x-mas and money is tight" translates into "my children are developing rickets because we are so impecunious," I don't think you've got much of a justification there.
posted by mumkin at 10:50 AM on December 27, 2007
posted by mumkin at 10:50 AM on December 27, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by oh pollo! at 10:01 AM on December 27, 2007