Locality: California, USA
In my city I often find belongings left on the sidewalk, things like old clothes, plastic bags sometimes filled with items inside, shopping carts, trash bags, etc. Most are left by homeless and stay there for days, if not weeks, until the city picks them up. Sometimes it's never picked up and just piles on. It decreases the quality of life in my area as I like to walk with my kids.
Is it legal for me to take items left on the sidewalk and either keep them or just throw them in the nearest public trash bin? I understand its technically someone's, maybe they forgot them and intend to return to pick them up, but it's also in public and looks abandoned.
Am I allowed to clean up the side walk like this?
Side Question: sometimes I even find used needles, how should I handle that? Take it with gloves into a zip lock bag and drop it off at the Police Station? AM I liable for "carrying" illegal drugs by doing that?
Thanks
