Found a Kenwood NX 5300 K2 Thrown Away... What should I do?

[wptx]

There was a box of stuff thrown away at my local storage unit, and inside of it I found a Kenwood NX-5300 K2 with a dock and external speaker.

I am not a radio guy... but seeking some feedback on what I should do. I powered it up and it has some very specific channel names programmed into it with the names of different companies in my area. My guess is it belong to a contractor of some sort... security, service, etc.

I understand I can't do anything with it unless I have the programming software. Should I try to locate the original owner? Can I resell it? Would anyone buy a programmed radio like this?

 

[dapaq2]

My suggestion would be to take it to the nearest/local Kenwood dealer and explain the situation. They can read the data in the radio and there may possibly be owner information embedded in the radio that can be viewed with their programming software or the programming content within might give them a idea as to where to look for the owner, if there is no label or owner information on the outside of the radio body itself. Or the dealer (with the help of Kenwood) may possibly be able to track down the last owner through a backwards search using the radio serial number and find the dealer Kenwood originally shipped the radio to for resale, if that info was recorded and then that dealer will probably have paperwork as to whom they sold it to and so on. Otherwise, if it is not considered stolen and safe to resell, then I guess you could sell it and make some money... IDK..

 

[mmckenna]

Check under the battery for any name/property tag, etc.

If not, dapaq2's advice is right on. No telling how the radio ended up where it did. Could be stolen, missing, or just misplaced. Getting it to it's rightful owner is the correct thing to do. The radio shop could help you find who it belongs to.

If you do sell it, be clear about what it is. Some of these radios have read, write or read/write passwords on them that make reprogramming a challenge. Also, without knowing the feature set of the radio, it's a bit of an unknown to a buyer.

If you do decide to sell it, let me know, I may want to give it a good home.

 

[MTS2000des]

In most states, there is no "finders keepers". Anything of value especially a 4 figure value belongs to someone. In Georgia it's known as theft of lost or mislaid property and if the value is over $1500 (which a new NX5200 is), it's a felony. Just saying, no one "throws away" a radio like that anymore than they would "throw away" an iPhone 16 Pro Max.

If you can't find the owner, turn it into your local LE agency property room. Then, if unclaimed, depending on your state, you may be able to lawfully get it back or they may put it up for auction.

 

[KK4JUG]

I don't think this qualifies as "lost or mislaid." It was abandoned because the storage unit renter maybe died, went to jail or otherwise didn't pay his rent. Since it was in the trash, I don't think the finder is legally obligated to take any action. I think this would be akin to the guy who goes through trash at the curb looking for aluminum cans to recycle. As a LEO, I was known to go through trash looking for evidence.

 

[MTS2000des]

I don't think this qualifies as "lost or mislaid." It was abandoned because the storage unit renter maybe died, went to jail or otherwise didn't pay his rent. Since it was in the trash, I don't think the finder is legally obligated to take any action. I think this would be akin to the guy who goes through trash at the curb looking for aluminum cans to recycle. As a LEO, I was known to go through trash looking for evidence.

If the trash is municipal: yes. Private trash or private dumpster=private property and NOT public domain. I am sure as a LEO you locked up many a folks for theft of services for throwing stuff IN the trash. Dumpster diving is theft of private property. A private trash can, dumpster, compactor, et al is NOT the same as municipally owned garbage cans on the public street. A storage facility is private property and thus, anything within is owned by SOMEONE.

Regardless, as a LEO I am sure you would concur that "reasonable people" don't toss an item with personal data on it of tremendous value. The O/P clearly knows, or should know, that such a radio is of high value, has markings/electronic indications of the owner(s), and is of high value. A reasonable person would attempt to make contact with them and return it. A reasonable person would turn it into an agency of competent jurisdiction.

 

[wptx]

Thanks for the suggestions. Will reach out to a dealer and proceed from there!

 

[KK4JUG]

I suspect the facility hired someone to clean it out and it was summarily gathered up and put in the dumpster with little or no inspection. Ga. law allows (or maybe requires, I don't know) that the stuff to be sold

 

[KK4JUG]

Ya know what? Irrespective of what's legal or not, the right thing to do is exactly what the OP is doing.

 

[MTS2000des]

Ya know what? Irrespective of what's legal or not, the right thing to do is exactly what the OP is doing.

The right thing is to locate the owner or turn it over to an LE agency. Anything else is just shady. For all we know, the radio could have been taken in a burglary or car break in. Turning into an agency means it goes into property, S/N is checked in RMS and there is a record of it. If it were one of our radios, this is what we would want.

 

[AM909]

ObCite re trash (not that it matters in this case): 486 U.S. 35 (1988)