Moral-Legal, would you?

tinknal · #1 09/12/11, 09:41 PM

Not far from here is a nice little farm that appears to be abandoned. It has been occupied but not lately. My guess is foreclosure. There is a beautiful apple tree loaded with bright red apples, right off the road right-of-way, maybe even on the right-of-way.

It seems to me that these apples are just going to go to waste. Would you stop and pick them?

gone-a-milkin · #2 09/12/11, 09:49 PM

Probably. To me that is not really stealing, if they are just abandoned.
It is a shame to waste good food, in my humble opinion.

Ozarks Tom · #3 09/12/11, 09:55 PM

I'd leave a signed note on the door telling whomever that I'd picked the ripe apples so as not to let them go to waste.

Mike in Ohio · #4 09/12/11, 09:56 PM

I would not. If I was really that interested I would try to find out who the owner is (even if a bank) and try to contact them to ask permission.

The apples will not go to waste - wildlife will consume them.

Mike

tinknal · #5 09/12/11, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike in Ohio

I would not. If I was really that interested I would try to find out who the owner is (even if a bank) and try to contact them to ask permission.

The apples will not go to waste - wildlife will consume them.

Mike

Ah, yes, road killed venison!

plowjockey · #6 09/12/11, 10:01 PM

Sometimes it's better to ask for forgivness, than to ask for permission.

This is probably one of those times, IMO.

It's doubtful that anyone from the bank, will be out to pick them. They probably don't even know that they own the property.

VERN in IL · #7 09/12/11, 10:06 PM

My Great Grandma died and my Uncle lived in the back woods of 30 acres, Grandmas place was by the road and after my Uncle burned down Grandmas old house(overran by coons) there was a peach tree in the back yard.

Well a long story short my Uncle caught someone stopped in there and picked some peaches! It was a old woman that grew up there back in the 50's.

Keep in mind that my Uncle had neighbor problems(the neighbors claimed that they owned ten acres behind their surveyed property line!) and would pull guns on people.

Jolly · #8 09/12/11, 10:11 PM

Pick 'em.

prairiecomforts · #9 09/12/11, 10:19 PM

I have mixed feelings about this. Is there a bank or anyone around that you could ask about picking them?

DaleK · #10 09/12/11, 10:36 PM

SOMEBODY owns them, thieving is thieving.

MoonShine · #11 09/12/11, 10:43 PM

I'd try to find out who owns it and ask them. I wouldn't take them otherwise.

stormwalker · #12 09/12/11, 11:10 PM

Is there another house within shouting distance?
If there was, I'd ask what the deal is on the abandoned house.
If there is no one living there, and it is in foreclosue, I would have no problem picking a few baskets.
I would leave some for the other wildlife.
LOL

VT Chicklit · #13 09/12/11, 11:17 PM

I have done this. This past weekend, I picked pears at a local state park that was closed for the season. I never take all the fruit. I never break branches or dammage the tree and I never pick fruit from trees that are obviously in someones yard. I have picked fruit from apple trees that are on the edge of the right of way to my house. I have picked crab apples from trees in my supermarket parking lot. I have picked apples from trees that are on my banks property. No one has ever said that I was stealing or tresspassing and I am always careful to not dammage or strip the trees. I take note from year to year where fruit trees are that are not being picked so that the next year I may pick some of the fruit.

wanda1950 · #14 09/12/11, 11:21 PM

I think I would try to find out more about it. I'm of two minds about this--hate to see them wasted when you could use them, but also hate to take them without asking.

Wendy · #15 09/13/11, 12:05 AM

Quote:

SOMEBODY owns them, thieving is thieving.

I agree. I would find out who owns it & get permission.

Shadow · #16 09/13/11, 12:14 AM

As I was growing up I was taught not to steal. If it was not mine and no one gave it to me or sold it to me and I took it it was stealing. I just looked and the ten commandments are still listed in the bible. I just noticed that so far most of the people on here are thieves and would steal apples, I sure hope no one leaves money, jewerly, weapons, or anything of value laying around when they are visiting. I have a constant problem with people hunting gensing, fishing in the pond for catfish I buy and feed, they aint cheap.
Twice I have caught people raking up pine straw, leaving their vehicles on another road and rolling garbage cans to my farm so my dogs will not hear their vehicles. We have a lot of pine needles and if they asked I would even help them rake them up. I have done that several times but stealing gets the sheriff a call and I turn them over to them one had a pistol and no permit. Thieves with guns If he had pulled it I would have been in a shooting.
If it aint yours leave it be. Stealing is wrong you can justify it. Now none of the self confessed thieves on this thread would ever be welcome to my place. You would probably find something you would be sure I was not using and take it and If you were armed I would try my best to kill you. Happened years ago and one went to jail for 25 to life and the other found out if there was really a hell. This is just the way the world has gone what once was something no one would even think of doing most belive is really ok. I will tell you a story. "Once upon a time, not very long from now, you wake up and a voice says yes there is a heaven and a hell and remember the red apples you stole."

Tom in TN · #17 09/13/11, 12:25 AM

You know the old joke about the guy who offers a woman $1000.00 to sleep with him? She thinks it over and then agrees to do so. He then rescinds his offer and offers her $10.00 instead. Her indignant response is "What do you think I am?" He says, "We've already established what you are, now we're only haggling over price."

There is nothing too valuable, or to inexpensive to convince me to steal it.

Your mileage may vary.

Tom in TN

Ed Norman · #18 09/13/11, 12:32 AM

I tracked down the bank that owned a house with a great apple tree a few years ago. I asked and the guy was amazed and said take all I want. It makes for a much more relaxing experience when you have permission. Maybe you like the thrill of looking over your shoulder all the time, I don't know.

wogglebug · #19 09/13/11, 01:06 AM

I'd suggest you find out who owns the property, and where the boundary lines lie. The tree may actually be on public land, in which case you ask the local government what the rules are on "gathering" fruit from seedlings on roadsides.

If it's on private property, you've found the owner of record from the local government authority. Try to contact them.

If you can't, decide how much you want the fruit. Without the owner's permission, taking it is stealing. It would be a shame for the owner to waste the fruit, but it would be a crime for you to just take it. Maybe you'd feel better if you left notes in the mailbox and on the front door explaining what you're doing and offering to pay, but I wouldn't - that's just admitting your crime in writing.

achrap · #20 09/13/11, 06:59 AM

Before even taking the apples you have already committed a crime. Its called trespassing. I really get ticked off when the Amish, which are all around me seem to think that my property is community property for the purpose of mushroom, dear antler, etc. hunting. It dosn't matter if its being wasted, its mine to waste. If you ask permission, I will work with you. In our neck of the woods trespassing will get you in front of a judge.