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

Helpful resources for Charlottesville

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Charlottesville

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Violin in black case with blue rosin

I found a violin this afternoon around 3:15pm near the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville, by the Market Street bike racks next to the Paramount Theater. It's a 4/4 student model in a black hard case that's a little scuffed but still solid, with a bright blue rosin bag tucked in the outer pocket. Inside the case there's a label reading 'Yamaha Student Violin' and a small paw-print sticker on the lid, plus a spare E string tucked into the lining. It seems well-loved and I'd hate for it to get farther from its owner -- hope to reunite it with whoever's missing it.

Charlottesville 27 days ago

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Silver flute found near Downtown Mall

Found a silver Yamaha student flute this afternoon around 3:15 pm in the Market Street Parking Garage behind the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville, near City Hall. It's a Yamaha student model, mostly shiny with a few minor scratches, and the lip plate has a tiny nick. The headjoint cap is engraved with the initials 'M.J.' and the black hard case has a gray shoulder strap and a small dent in the corner. The flute feels solid and seems playable, and I’d be glad to help reunite it with its owner. If you recognize the initials or the case details, describe them and we’ll figure out a safe handoff.

Charlottesville 2 months ago

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Black JBL Flip 5 speaker found near Downtown Mall

I found a small black JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker this morning around 9:30am, sitting on a bench outside the Downtown Mall along Market Street in Charlottesville. It's in pretty good condition, no cracks, just a few light scratches on the rubber edge. It has a red sticker on the bottom with 'R8-19' and a tiny dent on the top-right corner—easy to spot if you know it. It powered up when I tested it, so it seems still functional; if it's yours, shoot me a quick message and we can arrange a pickup near the UVA campus or downtown area.

Charlottesville 3 months ago

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Green parakeet with blue leg band found downtown Charlottesville

Found a small green parakeet this afternoon around 2:15pm near the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville, by the Market Street entrance to the Jefferson Theater. It has a blue leg band with the numbers 482 and a tiny nick on the left wing that sticks out a bit. The bird is pretty calm, chirping softly when I offered a treat and perched briefly on my finger. It's in good shape and seems well-cared-for, not hungry or thin. If this is your bird or you know who it might belong to, let me know and we can figure out a safe meetup to get it back to its home in Charlottesville.

Charlottesville 3 months ago

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Found gold iPhone 12 Pro Max with cracked screen

I found a gold iPhone 12 Pro Max this afternoon around 2:45 pm lying on the sidewalk outside the Downtown Mall entrance on Market Street in Charlottesville. It's in a translucent clear case with a pink sticker on the back and a cracked screen that makes it easy to spot. I picked it up and kept it safe in my bag, hoping the owner notices this post and can claim it — it's clearly important. If this sounds like yours, email [email protected] with a brief description of the device and the case details so we can arrange a pickup at a central Charlottesville location.

Charlottesville 4 months ago

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Dark brown leather wallet with blue trim

I found this wallet this afternoon around 3:15 PM in the parking lot behind the Barracks Road Shopping Center in Charlottesville. It's a dark brown Coach leather wallet, compact enough to slip in a pocket, about 4.5 by 3 inches, with a blue edge and a tiny coffee stain on the back. Inside are a driver's license, a couple of cards, and about $28 in assorted bills, plus a small green enamel leaf pin on the zipper pull. If this belongs to you, shoot me a message here and we can arrange a safe return.

Charlottesville 4 months ago