Legal Question in Criminal Law in Louisiana

Re: found money

Very interesting. It was not the finder's money, and therefore they had no right to it. If they tried to find the owner, then there are mitigating circumstances, but if they did not, and did not contact police, it could be theft. Theft is the taking of something of value with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of the thing. Finding money is one thing, but doing nothing else but spending it seems like the taking of something of value with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of the thing. Let's say you found a car on the side of the road with the keys in it and no one around.....do you have the right to take it and use it as if it is your own? Or would you be charged with theft or possession of stolen things?