So let me see if I understand this with a hypothetical example.
I work for a jeweler who sells online. Someone orders a $50,000 necklace and my friend who orders from this shop as well orders a $100 bracelet.
I make a mistake and switch the labels and the $50k pendant ends up in my friend's hands and he keeps it. No crime has been committed?
So essentially what this means is that anyone can steal from shippers by figuring out how to get things sent to the wrong address. And employees can figure out how to steal by intentionally shipping to the wrong address.
Somehow I don't think that this is all there is to it. I can't imagine that it's perfectly legal to accept possession of property that isn't yours and immediately assert ownership rights over it when you have not purchased or been intentionally given that property.
If that is the case then what is the difference if I simply walk over and take your cue? Possession being 9/10ths of the law and all. Why can't I say that you gave it to me. In fact when you hand me your cue to shoot with why can't I just keep it, legally?
What does transmission through the mail have to do with it? The postal service is just the delivery mechanism. The ownership of the merchandise belongs to the purchaser of that merchandise until such time as he intentionally transfers it. I don't think that making an error in shipping qualifies as intentional transfer of ownership.
I have to believe that the law does cover this and that it's not legal to retain control over property that is not yours.
Jewelry may actually have some seperate laws depending on the state. Some states actually have laws directly relating to jewelry.
The whole posession is 9/10ths of the law thing is somewhat not true. Basically, if someone has something, its up to someone else to prove its not theirs is the jist of it.
If employees scheme to ship to the wrong address, they merchandise would be considered stolen when the employee knowingly put the wrong label on it.
The short answer for why the mail matters, is to protect consumers from being sent random merchandise in the mail, then trying to get them to pay for it. If you send something unsolicited in the mail, they can keep it.
Say you order a camera from amazon and when you open the package you find two cameras. Technically, the second camera is legally yours. Yes I know, its stupid, but thats the law as of right now.
So, yes, being in the mail is a huge part of it. Very different than just walking over and picking up someone's cue.
Again, there is likely a civil recourse in which he could sue to have the cue returned. However, there is no criminal act that has taken place.
This kind of thing hardly ever happens. Its on the same level as say for example, you are married and have a child. You or your wife decide to just up and leave with your child. If there has been no court order stating otherwise (only way is to petition the court to do such), there is no criminal charge for kidnapping, since both of you are parents. Its a legal grey area, and you would have to appear in front of a judge and have them grant some sort of custody arrangement.
Same thing here, there is no law in place for accidentally mailing something to someone. You would need a judgement to legally force the cue to be returned.
I'm not saying its "right," just that its "legal."