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slim_boy_fat
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northwest
Searching for the Holy Grail.........
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Actual event, as quoted below:
Three men caught taking discarded food from bins outside an Iceland store will not now be prosecuted after an explosion of criticism over the decision to bring charges against them, including from the company's chief executive.
The Crown Prosecution Service said it would drop its case despite having previously said there was "significant public interest" in prosecuting the men. They were caught last year taking tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese and Mr Kipling cakes from the dustbins behind a branch of the high-street retailer.
Baljit Ubhey, the chief crown prosecutor for the CPS in London, said: "This case has been reviewed by a senior lawyer and it has been decided that a prosecution is not required in the public interest."
The Guardian revealed on Tuesday that Paul May, Jason Chan and William James had been charged under the 1824 Vagrancy Act, after being discovered in "an enclosed area, namely Iceland, for an unlawful purpose, namely stealing food".
So you see, it is not straightforward or as Cut and Dried. The people referred to above were taking discarded food, from private premises too, to feed themselves and their friends. I see that, But what about the guy prosecuted for taking bags of clothes from outside of a Charity shop? When questioned, he told the officers he was going to sell the clothing on ebay, what if he had said he was going to clothe his family and keep them warm? What would the outcome have been then I wonder.
Same as this steel plate, the OP has no intention of taking it and selling it, he wants to make a stronger workbench on which to work that he may make a living. Is working, or creating the ability to work, theft?
Not everything is straightforward and One Size does NOT fit all. Each event has to live on it's own merit I think and we should certainly look towards re-purposing as much as we possibly can. As to whether or not the plates were council property, possibly, but not recently as all UK Councils have moved away from steel plates in favour of fibreglass ones. Because of theft.
:-)
slim_boy_fat
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@Screwdriver
Its on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost,_mislaid,_and_abandoned_property
Property is generally deemed to have been abandoned if it is found in a place where the true owner likely intended to leave it, but is in such a condition that it is apparent that he or she has no intention of returning to claim it. Abandoned property generally becomes the property of whoever should find it and take possession of it first, although some states have enacted statutes under which certain kinds of abandoned property – usually cars, wrecked ships and wrecked aircraft – escheat, meaning that they become the property of the state.[11]
In the United States, property left behind by a tenant is generally presumed abandoned after anywhere from 1 week to 1 year, and if unclaimed, may be disposed of or sold to recoup storage costs; in some states the difference may be kept by the landlord, in others returned to the tenant, and in others it must be turned over to the state or county.[12] Virginia requires only 24 hour storage for evictions. Maryland allows individual counties to set required storage times. Colorado allows immediate disposal (but not sale), while Georgia and Texas allow it to be immediately placed outside and claimed by anyone, and Arkansas allows the landlord to immediately claim the property for themselves to do as they wish.
Its on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost,_mislaid,_and_abandoned_property
Property is generally deemed to have been abandoned if it is found in a place where the true owner likely intended to leave it, but is in such a condition that it is apparent that he or she has no intention of returning to claim it. Abandoned property generally becomes the property of whoever should find it and take possession of it first, although some states have enacted statutes under which certain kinds of abandoned property – usually cars, wrecked ships and wrecked aircraft – escheat, meaning that they become the property of the state.[11]
In the United States, property left behind by a tenant is generally presumed abandoned after anywhere from 1 week to 1 year, and if unclaimed, may be disposed of or sold to recoup storage costs; in some states the difference may be kept by the landlord, in others returned to the tenant, and in others it must be turned over to the state or county.[12] Virginia requires only 24 hour storage for evictions. Maryland allows individual counties to set required storage times. Colorado allows immediate disposal (but not sale), while Georgia and Texas allow it to be immediately placed outside and claimed by anyone, and Arkansas allows the landlord to immediately claim the property for themselves to do as they wish.
sardine
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Practically speaking no owner could ever be found as they have committed an offence of fly tipping and won't own up to that, this is a grey area that is going to work in your favour, just as I did full time skip diving for years and never once had a problem because no bin or skip company is going to waste money on hiring lawyers at £500 an hour to prosecute someone for what is considered rubbish , it might be technically illegal but practically no ones going to do anything about it.
James1979
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Them as well, but these were like Swiss cheese. Unless it was to lighten them or stop water sitting or something?Or for fixing hooks & chains to assist in lifting into place?
Reman
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So, To summarize.
If you ask the land owner if you can have them and he/she says "Yes" then it's all gravy because you've had permition from someone you believe to be in the position to make that decision. Even if they're NOT the rightful owner you were not to know that when they said it as OK, so the worst that could happen is having to make a police statement and having to hand the plates over to plod.
It's always possible that the land owner will say "I want 50 quid for 'um", Then it's your call if you say yes or no, But if you say no and a few days later someone else nicks them then the land owners most likely still going to be giving YOUR description (And possibly reg number) to the police. If the plod come and look around your home, garage and garden, Is there anything laying about that they may become interested in? Is it worth the risk if there is?
You could just take it, And get away with it.
You could take it and be caught on CCTV, Arrested, Prosecuted for steeling 500 quid of scrap metal, This thread getting brought up as evidence of the crime being planned and premeditated, Imprisoned, And put in a cell with a 6'6" 20st skinhead who goes by the name of "Trixibelle" !!!............ Once you got back out of prison the throat and rectal reconstructive surgery alone would cost you way more than the plates were worth !
Or you could report the plates to the local police, And mention how long they've been abandoned, question the public safety implications of having 2 ruddy great rusty metal sheets abandoned that close to the road, and that if they haven't got the required equipment and space to pick them up and store them you could collect the plates and transport them to a safe storage location as long as they'd sign to say that if the original owner couldn't be identified within a reasonable predefined time frame you'd be allowed to claim the plates to cover your costs (Well...... It would be worth a try.
).
If you ask the land owner if you can have them and he/she says "Yes" then it's all gravy because you've had permition from someone you believe to be in the position to make that decision. Even if they're NOT the rightful owner you were not to know that when they said it as OK, so the worst that could happen is having to make a police statement and having to hand the plates over to plod.
It's always possible that the land owner will say "I want 50 quid for 'um", Then it's your call if you say yes or no, But if you say no and a few days later someone else nicks them then the land owners most likely still going to be giving YOUR description (And possibly reg number) to the police. If the plod come and look around your home, garage and garden, Is there anything laying about that they may become interested in? Is it worth the risk if there is?
You could just take it, And get away with it.
You could take it and be caught on CCTV, Arrested, Prosecuted for steeling 500 quid of scrap metal, This thread getting brought up as evidence of the crime being planned and premeditated, Imprisoned, And put in a cell with a 6'6" 20st skinhead who goes by the name of "Trixibelle" !!!............ Once you got back out of prison the throat and rectal reconstructive surgery alone would cost you way more than the plates were worth !
Or you could report the plates to the local police, And mention how long they've been abandoned, question the public safety implications of having 2 ruddy great rusty metal sheets abandoned that close to the road, and that if they haven't got the required equipment and space to pick them up and store them you could collect the plates and transport them to a safe storage location as long as they'd sign to say that if the original owner couldn't be identified within a reasonable predefined time frame you'd be allowed to claim the plates to cover your costs (Well...... It would be worth a try.
).
Screwdriver
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In China all property is theft
Specific case of a large sheet of steel on council (?) property (in the UK), you are suggesting anyone is legally entitled to remove it. I disagree and what happens in America is irrelevant.
If I knew where those sheets were and I had the wherewithal, I'd be posting up a "look at my new welding bench" thread. So the morality and even the legality of such action is an interesting digression, not any sort of statement of principle. As it happens I am a highly principled person and act according to a strict moral code. It's just that they don't seem to align precisely with the vast majority of the population. I appear to have found some like minded folk though, I'd be off with that in a heartbeat.
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Road plates. 5 pages in, they will have gone by now
Road plates are made from steel plate seconds. Usually because they are bent out of tolerance, have no mill certs or some other fault so can't be sold as prime stock.
Having had traffic over them whilst bouncing up and down over a hole they will be even more bent.
A lot of the anti slip coating has worn off them - enough for an auditer to put a black mark against a gang using them, or attempting to use them. The coating costs a good few quid.
Road plates are made from steel plate seconds. Usually because they are bent out of tolerance, have no mill certs or some other fault so can't be sold as prime stock.
Having had traffic over them whilst bouncing up and down over a hole they will be even more bent.
A lot of the anti slip coating has worn off them - enough for an auditer to put a black mark against a gang using them, or attempting to use them. The coating costs a good few quid.
brightspark
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[if it was local to me and u mentioned it on here and never got em the same day they certainly wouldn't be there next day 
they would be behind my garage I scored on a few years ago outside my gate. it covered a bust watermain that had been fixed. after 2 weeks of arguments between the council and water board and the electricity board who damaged it no one did owt so I just went out backfilled the hole chucked some dolomite over and flattened it then chucked the barriers over the road and nicked the steel plate. 2 weeks later the council came round tapping on my door askin who filled the hole in avent a clue mate I work every day and came home one nite and it was done but it needs a bit of tarmac over it so get it done then shut the door on him
they would be behind my garage I scored on a few years ago outside my gate. it covered a bust watermain that had been fixed. after 2 weeks of arguments between the council and water board and the electricity board who damaged it no one did owt so I just went out backfilled the hole chucked some dolomite over and flattened it then chucked the barriers over the road and nicked the steel plate. 2 weeks later the council came round tapping on my door askin who filled the hole in avent a clue mate I work every day and came home one nite and it was done but it needs a bit of tarmac over it so get it done then shut the door on him
the more you think about it the more you will knock your knees so get it home asap .
brightspark
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like here
I don't think so they couldn't even nick the 10 foot lengths and there's 2 lots of old sidings hidden in the undergrowth a mile of track and that's gone nowhereeven I cant nick it and its next to my house 
roofman
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that looks beautiful just sitting there like thatlike here
brightspark
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having said that someone stole a large gantry crane from the old concrete works opposite our house and no one saw and heard a thing 
god knows how they got it out
god knows how they got it out
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You seem to be arguing with yourself.In China all property is theft
Specific case of a large sheet of steel on council (?) property (in the UK), you are suggesting anyone is legally entitled to remove it. I disagree and what happens in America is irrelevant.
If I knew where those sheets were and I had the wherewithal, I'd be posting up a "look at my new welding bench" thread. So the morality and even the legality of such action is an interesting digression, not any sort of statement of principle. As it happens I am a highly principled person and act according to a strict moral code. It's just that they don't seem to align precisely with the vast majority of the population. I appear to have found some like minded folk though, I'd be off with that in a heartbeat.
"It's theft and it's wrong.. but if they were near me I'd take them and show you all".
You also seem quite intent on trying to lose friends on here at the moment. Lockdown or not, wind it in please, every thread you get involved with seems to go downhill quite rapidly.
