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 Charleston? 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 Charleston; 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 Charleston with enough detail for the real owner to identify it — while holding back one verifying detail.

Helpful resources for Charleston

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Charleston

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Found postcards near Charleston City Market

Early this morning, around 9:10 am, I spotted a neat stack of postcards tucked in a rack by the Market Street entrance of the Charleston City Market, not far from Waterfront Park. The cards feature classic Charleston scenes—Rainbow Row, The Battery, and a harbor view. It felt like a small window into someone’s memories, so I picked them up and kept them safe, hoping to reunite them with their owner. It’s a little bright moment to think these memories might travel a little farther thanks to this listing.

Market Street entrance, Charleston City Market, near Waterfront Park 18 days ago

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Found ties near City Market, Charleston

This morning around 8:45 a.m., I found a small bundle of ties on a bench outside the City Market on Meeting Street, near Waterfront Park. There are three ties in varying patterns—a navy striped, a lighter blue striped, and a solid maroon—that look a bit creased but still wearable. I figure someone might be missing them after a work trip or interview, so I’ve kept them with me for now. If you recognize them, please check the listing on the site.

City Market entrance, Meeting Street, Charleston about 1 month ago

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Found travel adapters near City Market, Charleston

I found a small gray travel-pouch with multiple adapters under a bench along Market Street near the City Market entrance around 2:30 p.m. today in Charleston, South Carolina. The pouch is worn and the zipper is red, with 'Adapters' faintly printed on the front. Inside are several plug adapters, a USB-C cable, and a compact power strip—clearly someone’s travel kit. I know how frustrating it is to lose these before a trip, so I kept them together and handed them to the market’s security desk for safekeeping, in hopes the owner sees this soon.

near City Market entrance on Market Street 3 months ago

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Found JBL Bluetooth speaker near Market Street

I found a JBL Charge 4 Bluetooth speaker this afternoon around 2:15pm outside the Charleston City Market on Market Street, near the Waterfront Park entrance. It's charcoal gray, about the size of a palm, with a few scratches along the edges. The JBL logo is bright orange, and there's a small dent on the top-left corner plus a dog paw print sticker on the bottom. It still powers on and pairs with my phone, and there's a USB-C port visible on the side. If this belongs to you, I really want to help get it back – I know how important a good speaker can be after a long day downtown.

Charleston 5 months ago

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Found Harbor & Co. business card in Charleston

I found a slim, matte-black Harbor & Co. business card this afternoon around 2:15pm on Meeting Street near the Charleston City Market in Charleston, SC. It’s for Elena Rossi, Marketing Manager, with a gold anchor logo and the back embossed with the initials ERV. There’s a faint coffee stain and a tiny crease along the bottom edge, but the contact info is still legible: [email protected] and 843-555-0124. This seems important for someone’s work; I’d love to return it to Elena or the person who lost it. If this sounds like yours, I can meet near Market Street or East Bay Street for a quick handoff in Charleston, SC.

Charleston 5 months ago

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Blue Nike swim shorts with orange drawstrings

I found a pair of blue Nike swim shorts, men's size M, this afternoon around 2:15pm. They’re a bright cobalt blue with an orange drawstring and a small white Nike swoosh on the left leg. There’s a tiny gray anchor patch near the right hem as a unique identifying feature. I spotted them near the City Market on Market Street, Charleston, just a few steps from Waterfront Park; they’re in good shape with only light wear. If these look like yours, drop a note here in the app so we can arrange a quick meetup and return them to you.

Charleston 5 months ago