Vacationer asks if they're wrong for taking 'abandoned' items from hotel hallway.

Finders keepers, losers weepers?

Reddit user u/Garbagesandwich saw some items abandoned in a hotel hallway while on vacation and thought they might as well take them home if no one else wanted them.

After a nasty confrontation with the owners of the items, this vacationer is asking the internet, 'AITA (Am I The A**hole) for taking seemingly abandoned items sitting in a hotel hallway?'

They write:

My friend and I just returned from a long weekend holiday on Hilton Head Island, SC. We stayed at a nice resort on the beach and it was very busy - the hotel was at max capacity with hundreds of rooms, all full.

We live in Georgia and so were able to make the 5-hour drive rather than fly however there are several nearby airports and we met people from all over the country on vacation there.

We stayed in a room on the fifth floor. Walking from the elevator to our room, I noticed a wagon with beach toys, boogie boards, and a couple of chairs sitting conspicuously in the hall along the way to our room. Note - not in front of any particular room, kind of in between rooms. I ignored it and continued to my room.

This wagon stayed UNTOUCHED for more than 48 hours. It was there during the day and evening, the items looked almost brand new. I began to wonder after several days if it had been abandoned there by past guests who perhaps had to fly home and couldn’t carry these things along with them.

After THREE DAYS of no movement of this wagon or any indication that the items were being used (no sand in the wagon or on the toys) I thought “well no one is removing this from the hall and no other rooms are treating the hallway like their personal closet so maybe they’re up for grabs”.

I just took the chairs because I wasn’t traveling with children and I thought someone else might benefit from using those. I thought about leaving a note but didn’t - BIG mistake.

Today, we packed up our things and called a bellhop to help us to the car, the chairs stacked alongside our luggage on the luggage cart. I ran down to get the car and pull up to the front to load up our belongings. Suddenly a man rushed up to me, aggressively pointing his finger in my face, and said “Your friend said you found these chairs? Tell the truth, don’t lie.”

Taken aback, I responded, “Yes, I found them in the hallway.” Almost before the words were out of my mouth he screams at the top of his lungs, “You LIAR! These chairs were in front of room XYZ and you STOLE THEM from me!” I immediately apologized and started to explain that I thought they were abandoned and didn’t mean to steal them from someone who was using them, etc.

He refused to hear any of it and continued to scream that I’m a thief and I’m lucky he’s not pressing charges. I was mortified and genuinely felt awful but was so in shock at his incredible reaction that I eventually walked away to tip the man helping us with our bags. I got into my car and drove away, almost in tears but also feeling angry and confused at why someone would leave something that was CLEARLY so valuable to them in a common area of the hotel.

AITA Reddit? I honestly don’t know and I can’t stop thinking about it!

They added more info to plead their case:

I did ask the cleaning staff about the items and they said they didn’t know who they belonged to. I know that isn’t worth making the assumption that I did. Also, my assumption was based on the fact that not a single other person in the resort was leaving personal belongings in the hallway like this.

This is 2022. People who leave their belongings unattended are crazy to think things won't get stolen. On the other hand, OP shouldn't have taken the chairs home, knowing they belonged to someone else. Seems to me like everyone sucks here.

Reddit definitely called out OP for being 'The A**hole,' here, but there were several commenters who blamed the people who used the hotel hallway as their personal storage unit as well. Who's side are you on?

From Wader_Man

YTA. 'Not yours' is still 'not yours', whether stuff is being used or not.

From DearerStar

That’s what really tips it for me. If they thought they were just benefiting from someone leaving behind some useful beach chairs, they would have used them and put them back so others could do the same. To try to take them home was not cool.

That being said, they shouldn’t have been left sitting in the hall. It’s rude to other guests to treat the common walkway as a closet. ESH.

From Andie787

YTA. They weren’t yours. You took them. You made an incorrect assumption that benefited you. The kicker is that you tried to take them home, lol, not even just use them while you were there. Hilarious.

From glamourcrow

Perhaps not T A, but how naive can an adult person be? OP, are you a 6-year-old? Did you take the TV from your room as well because 'no one is using it when I'm not in the room'? Honey.

From Connect_Poet775

One question: did you ever call down to the front desk to tell them about the items? No? Then YTA. And a patient thief. Sorry.

From evita12345

ESH. That guy’s dumb. Leaving your stuff in a public area is an invitation for it to be stolen. Which you did.

From CinnaByt3

Obviously, OP is in the wrong but also who fking does that?! I wouldn't dream of leaving any items of mine in the hallway unattended for even a few minutes, let alone 3 whole days. I almost feel like if you're dumb enough to do that you deserve to get your stuff yoinked

From TheSilverFalcon

If you are at a hotel you rent the room, not the hallway. Do not leave anything in the hallway, not even 'to dry'. It dries the same in your room out of other people's way. ESH

From PJfanRI

YTA obviously. They weren't yours and you took them. This isn't rocket science.

From Perseus3507

Finally a rational response. If I left stuff in the hallway (blocking other guests) for three days I wouldn't be so surprised that they were taken or thrown away. ESH

From BodyDense

Totally NTA. I am shocked at so many YTA comments. If you don't want your stuff messed with then don't leave it in a common space of a hotel. I think the guy went off screaming because he knew he was in the wrong and wanted his stuff back. After all who gets the most attention? A squeaky wheel/screaming person.

OP NTA. You keep your stuff safe in your hotel room, not a common-use open hallway. They are lucky the hotel did not toss the items letting the hallway.

OP added an update:

Some people come to this sub for validation or clout (like the clearly NAH) but some of us come here for genuine opinions and feedback to make ourselves better. I realize what I did was not right and have read every single comment here. I will take away from this that IATA, not a victim, and be more respectful of others in the future. Better late than never and lesson learned. Thanks.