Here are the facts:
The luggage in question is identified with the guests' names. If it is left behind by the guests after checkout, a process begins to contact the guests. This process includes repeated emails, telephone calls and even certified postal mail for up to three months. In most cases, the luggage is reclaimed by the guests and I never touch any of it. In a few cases, all efforts to contact the guests produce no response. In that situation, the luggage then becomes forfeited by the guests and becomes the hotel's property. The management then has the right (yes, legally) to dispose of, sell or in my case, give away the luggage. All I need at that point is permission from management to claim it.
No permission, no taking. With permission, it's all mine, both legally and morally.