Opening a letter addressed to someone else

joequimby on 21/07/2014 - 23:47
Last edited 21/07/2014 - 23:48

Hey OzBargain,

I came today and found a letter with my address but with a name I did not recognize. I've been here three years and knew the previous occupiers here two years before me and it wasn't for them either.

The envelope was addressed by hand and had no sender. I figured to mark it and dump it back in the red box but decided to open it and possibly forward it on.

The conclusion I can draw is that the person living at my address in 1998 went to a police station to presumably get a certified copy, but left the original behind. The police sent the document to the address on it, which is mine.

I figured I would drop it off at the police station but then I realised I could get myself into trouble for opening a letter not addressed to me.

So, should I risk getting charged with mail theft and do the right thing, or just leave the document here?

I've also tried looking the name up on Facebook but there aren't any close matches in the same city.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • retiredfeline on 22/07/2014 - 00:41
    +5

    My feeling is just write "Return to sender, not known here" and "Sorry, opened in error" on the envelope and leave it for the postie to collect. The cops will have better things to do than track down who opened it, it's not a hanging crime, and besides there is nothing to identify who opened it. You did wear gloves when opening it, right? :)

  • [Deactivated] on 22/07/2014 - 04:10
    +2

    Assuming you're in Australia and not the US, it's not an offence to open the letter (but it is to keep someone else's mail or tamper with their mailbox).

    So, as you haven't done anything wrong by opening it, drop it off at the police station if convenient.

    • Dumax on 22/07/2014 - 09:38

      This. The OP has really put themselves in a bad situation because by opening the letter, they'll have to admit that they pilfered through someone else's mail (whilst it doesn't seem to be illegal, it is certainly immoral) - but by refusing to return it (eg. dispose of the evidence) they are exposing themselves to up to 10 years in prison under 471.1 of the CCA 1995.

      • battler on 22/07/2014 - 10:00

        key in 471.1 appears to be intent to mis-use, etc.
        OP returning it to police station will avoided that.
        Will never pass reasonableness test.
        OP has noting to worry about as he said he had to open it to find the owner/sender… then he is returning it to the appropriate place.

        • Dumax on 22/07/2014 - 10:15
          +1

          That is exactly what I said…

          The OP will have to return it to the police station OR potentially expose themselves to criminal charges.

          If the OP disposes of, or keeps the letter (for the purposes of covering up the fact that they'd thoughtlessly opened it) then it does constitute an offence.

  • YouLIKEyouLICK on 22/07/2014 - 05:08
    +8

    Your going to jail! I'm reporting you!….. ringing police now…… line busy… oh well back to bed

  • altomic on 22/07/2014 - 05:23
    +1

    Have you looked in the phone book for the person? Wrong house number maybe?

  • shaiguy on 22/07/2014 - 10:09

    I get heaps of this (I think rented beforehand). Just put "RTS" and put back in mailbox. Who cares if you opened it - blame it on the kids or the dog that fetches that mail if must be (it's your address).

  • Cheeper on 22/07/2014 - 10:11
    +2

    Opening it in an attempt to locate the owner is not something you will go to the chair for.. :-)

    We did it last year, although it was a Christmas card which contained photos and no return address. It would have gone to the dead letter office and would have been destroyed … but we went to the AEC and looked up the electoral roll and found the correct address and dropped it off.

    Give it back to the police and write a note on it… "opened in an attempt to find correct addressee", they may have their new address?

  • joequimby on 22/07/2014 - 10:29
    +2

    Thanks for the replies.

    I dropped the letter off a little while ago to the local cop shop. The officer thanked me for returning it, said they would take care of it and didn't question why I opened it.

  • NancyCat on 22/07/2014 - 10:58
    -1

    Take it to the police station, the cops have better things to do.

  • Holysmoke on 23/07/2014 - 21:12

    Off-topic but did the person go the police in 1998 or did he go recently with the document from 1998?

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join