Found an item? Your responsibilities

What to do when you find someone else's property — your responsibilities and how to return it safely.

Found something in Champaign Urbana? Handling it responsibly protects both you and the owner. Rules vary by location, but the principles are consistent.

Make a reasonable effort to find the owner. Check for ID, contact details, or anything that identifies who it belongs to.
Don't assume it's yours to keep. Keeping found property without trying to return it can have legal consequences. When in doubt, hand it in.
Hand valuables to the authorities. Report significant or high-value finds to the police non-emergency line for Champaign Urbana; they'll log it and may issue a reference.
Store it safely. Keep the item secure and unchanged while you try to return it.
Post a found listing. Add a found-item listing for Champaign Urbana with enough detail for the real owner to identify it — while holding back one verifying detail.

Helpful resources for Champaign Urbana

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Champaign Urbana

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Found GPS devices in Champaign Urbana, Illinois

Hi, I'm Avery Kim. I found a set of GPS devices this morning near the Illini Union on Green Street in Champaign-Urbana around 9:15 AM. They were sitting on a curb by the bus stop, tucked in a small pouch with a charger still attached. There were two devices—an in-car navigator and a sports GPS—along with a charging cable. It felt strange to stumble on someone’s belongings, and I kept them safe where I found them. I can only imagine how stressful it would be to lose this stuff on campus, and I’m hoping the owner will see this and know it’s been kept secure in the meantime.

outside the Illini Union on Green Street 6 days ago

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Found USB drives on UIUC campus, Champaign-Urbana

While walking across the UIUC campus this morning, around 10:05 a.m., I found a small pouch with several USB drives lying on the grass near the Alma Mater statue on the Main Quad. The pouch is compact, black leather, with a few labels on the drives. It looked like someone was rushing between classes and dropped it. I kept it safe and posted this here so the owner can reclaim it through the site. Crossing my fingers that the owner sees this soon.

Sentimental

Near the Alma Mater statue on UIUC Main Quad 23 days ago

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Black Fossil wallet found behind Target on Mattis Ave

I found this wallet this afternoon around 3:15 pm in the parking lot behind Target on Mattis Ave in Champaign-Urbana. It's a black Fossil bifold, real leather, with a red lining that shows when you open it. The outside has a small scratch along the top edge, and tucked inside is a worn photo of a beagle in one of the card slots. There are a few cards and a faded receipt, but no ID photo. If this is yours, I’d really like to help get it back to you—please reach out.

Champaign Urbana about 2 months ago

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Brass pocket compass with leather case

I found a brass pocket compass with a weathered leather sleeve this afternoon around 2:30pm along Green Street outside the Krannert Center in Champaign-Urbana. The compass has a faint patina and a tiny engraving on the back: initials 'R.T.' The lid shows a delicate etched map of a coastline, which is pretty distinctive. The leather sleeve is worn but still intact, and the small loop for a chain is missing a tiny link. It seems like a well-loved piece, and I’d love to get it back to its owner—hope the right person sees this.

Champaign Urbana about 2 months ago

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Found guitar in black hard case near Krannert

I found a guitar this afternoon around 4:15 pm, tucked behind a bench outside the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Champaign Urbana. It's a sunburst electric guitar in a sturdy black hard-shell case, with a bright blue strap peeking out from beneath the zipper pulls. The case has a few scuffs and a small sticker with a white piano-key motif on the top corner. Inside the pocket there’s a rolled-up setlist from a local show and a used guitar pick with a pink heart. The instrument looks like it’s been played a lot but is in good shape, and it obviously means a lot to the owner; I’d love to reunite it with whoever misplaced it.

Champaign Urbana 3 months ago

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Yellow paperback novel with dog-eared pages

I found a yellowed paperback novel this afternoon around 3:15pm outside Espresso Royale on Main Street in downtown Champaign-Urbana. The cover is a faded orange with a simple illustration, and the pages are creased from years of reading. There's a coffee splash on the back cover and a blue library sticker on the inside front cover that says 'Property of Champaign Public Library.' The margins have a few pencil notes in the margins—looks like someone really loved this book. If the owner sees this, I hope it helps them get it back.

Champaign Urbana 3 months ago