Charged With Criminal Conversion for Taking a Lost Purse

My question involves criminal law for the state of: indiana

i wasnt arrested but they filed a criminal misdemeanor conversion charge on me cause i found a purse in parking lot and was in a hurry to get kids to school. i hadnt gotten to the school yet and they pulled us over and asked for the purse i explained that i was gonna call someone once i got dropped off at the school. nothing was missing out of purse. i didnt even look in it. the officer was determined to make sure i get charged w stealing. he made me really nervous and my kids as well. i have priors from another state. but i have changed my life and now have a career and doing well what could happen to me im scared

You are telling us that you saw a purse in a parking lot and didn't have time to take it into an adjacent building, so took the purse, got into your car and drove off. It's not clear if you saw the purse, pulled over, got out, took the purse, got back into your car and drove off, or if you found the purse while leaving an adjacent store or business, took the purse, bundled your kids into the car, and drove off with the purse.

Then, within the short time it took you to find the purse and get into your car, somebody saw you, figured out that you were taking a purse that didn't belong to you, noted your license plate, and called the police. The police responded to this as priority, and managed to both find your car and pull you over before you even got the kids to school.

That's pretty remarkable. Why do I suspect that there's a lot more to the story.

You apparently have a record of theft, and whatever you said or did after you were stopped made the officer believe that you were trying to steal the purse, so based on the few facts you have shared I can't say much more than that you should consult a criminal defense lawyer.

Why didn't you just take it in the store of the lot you found it in? Why did you get pulled over?

http://codes.findlaw.com/in/title-35...35-43-4-3.html

If you're convicted this is what could happen:

Class A misdemeanor

The highest level (most serious) misdemeanor under Indiana law. Indiana Code 35-50-3-2 defines the possible sentence for Class “A” misdemeanor as 0 to 365 days in jail with a maximum fine of $5,000.00.

I would recommend finding a lawyer. If you can't afford one request a court appointed attorney. I would at least find a lawyer who does free consultations and get some advice.

You did have unauthorized possession of someone else's property. I would never, ever take a purse or wallet I found and keep it with me. I would take it to the nearest store or building and leave it with someone there and if there was no building maybe take it to the police station.

What is the statute that they sited, § 35-43-4-3 or § 35-43-4-2? How long did you have the purse in your possession? Sounds like just a very short time like minutes. Did you refuse to relinquish the purse when asked to?

If your story is true and nothing more to it, the cop is an idiot.

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Quoting qwaspolk69

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You did have unauthorized possession of someone else's property. I would never, ever take a purse or wallet I found and keep it with me. I would take it to the nearest store or building and leave it with someone there and if there was no building maybe take it to the police station.

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This is so much BS. There is no conversion if you are never asked to relinquish the property. People find other people's property all the time. People find wallets and just call the owner. They don't get charged with conversion. I suppose from the time a person picks up someone's wallet and carries it to the nearest store (who knows what they will do with it) they have committed the crime of conversion.?? Then why not just leave it on the pavement and let the next schnook take the fall.

My family was already in car we were in a hurry my kids had to get to school i was returning the cart and very end of parking lot i wasnt thinking i was doing anything wrong i was honestly just trying to hurry. I was gonna get to school and call someone who ever bag it was reported her iphone lost/ stolen so they tracked the phone the pulled us over a half a block from svhool. I gave the purse as soon as they asked. I always get nervous and panic because thats just how i get. I cant help that. Ive changed my life 7 years ago. I would never intentionally take something i just wanted to get my kids to class

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Quoting budwad

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What is the statute that they sited, § 35-43-4-3 or § 35-43-4-2? How long did you have the purse in your possession? Sounds like just a very short time like minutes. Did you refuse to relinquish the purse when asked to?

If your story is true and nothing more to it, the cop is an idiot.



This is so much BS. There is no conversion if you are never asked to relinquish the property. People find other people's property all the time. People find wallets and just call the owner. They don't get charged with conversion. I suppose from the time a person picks up someone's wallet and carries it to the nearest store (who knows what they will do with it) they have committed the crime of conversion.?? Then why not just leave it on the pavement and let the next schnook take the fall.

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There's probably more to the story but technically it was unauthorized possession. I didn't say it was right to charge the OP. I just said by definition it was.

Yes I know that happens. I lost my wallet one time in college. I don't know why I had it with me when I was checking the air in my tire on my car but I did. I guess I set it down and forgot. I made it all the way back to my dorm (30 minutes away) and realized I didn't have it. I raced back to where I left it and they said no one brought it in. I was freaking out because I had some cash in there which was my tips for the week. I went to my grandparents' since they lived in that town and yeah I was crying. I told them what happened and then I called my dad and told him. He said "Oh I know. Someone just called the house and said they found your wallet." I was so relieved.

My dad talked to the guy who said he'd be going through town and he could drop it off where my dad worked. He did and my dad offered him a discount on his purchase he made at the auto store or did he want a reward and he said "No I'm just happy I could get it back to her."

Everything was there. All my cash. Cards. Everything. BUT yes I did cancel all my cards and request new ones because you just don't know.

I never once said that anyone should get charged with what the OP did. At all. Nor should the man who found my wallet. I would have just taken it inside the building where I found it in the lot.

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Quoting mickeydiaz13

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My family was already in car we were in a hurry my kids had to get to school i was returning the cart and very end of parking lot i wasnt thinking i was doing anything wrong i was honestly just trying to hurry. I was gonna get to school and call someone who ever bag it was reported her iphone lost/ stolen so they tracked the phone the pulled us over a half a block from svhool. I gave the purse as soon as they asked. I always get nervous and panic because thats just how i get. I cant help that. Ive changed my life 7 years ago. I would never intentionally take something i just wanted to get my kids to class

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I call bs.

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Quoting mickeydiaz13

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...i just wanted to get my kids to class

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But you had to go shopping first??

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Quoting mickeydiaz13

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nothing was missing out of purse.

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You have no way of knowing that.

I just don't understand some of you where you always want to think the worst of someone. What is wrong with organizing your morning by doing some shopping and then getting your kids to school? Finding the purse was not in the itinerary. Getting the kids to school was.

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Quoting budwad

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I just don't understand some of you where you always want to think the worst of someone. What is wrong with organizing your morning by doing some shopping and then getting your kids to school? Finding the purse was not in the itinerary. Getting the kids to school was.

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Obviously it was wrong because now they're charged with a crime...

If getting the kids to school was so important then just leave the damn purse in the parking lot. They were in "such a hurry" but had time to pick up a random purse?

Honestly, in this day and age, I'm not picking up ANY random bag in the middle of a parking lot. I'm going to go inside and tell the store "Hey there's a purse or some bag out there in your lot. You might want to have someone check it out." Or I'd call the police. Who knows what's in that purse or bag?

Life experience has caused me to trust no one but myself at this point.