Are there any honest people left?

[EOSThree]

Bummer about your tripod certainly, and hopefully lesson learned.
I consider myself to be a moral person, and understand your anger about your stuff going missing, however if I were in the same position, I would primarily be upset with myself, not for whoever found it. I do feel that the majority of the population lacks the moral fiber to turn in lost items, but I wouldn't consider them thieves. To me a thief is someone that knowingly takes the possessions of another, and usually has to violate the physical boundaries or trust of that person to do so. Not the case here.

If you take my $hit, you've violated a human trust, my trust in you as another human being. The person who's taken my stuff did knowingly take the possessions of another, it certainly wasn't theirs. I am upset with myself, but I would say, and hope the majority of the population has the moral fiber to turn in lost items, I think most are basically honest, and will do the right thing.

If they aren't going to be bothered to turn the item in, then the right thing is to leave the item be. I'll say it again: If it's not yours, that's it, it's not yours. Do the right thing if you choose to get involved, turn it in, or leave it be, it's not yours. If you take it you are a thief, you've taken property that isn't yours. It doesn't matter what it is or where it is, this is not gray, it's black and white. IF YOU TAKE SOMETHING THAT ISN'T YOURS, YOU'VE STOLEN IT.