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

Helpful resources for Clovis / Portales

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Clovis / Portales

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Found holiday decorations near Portales Library.

After a shift at ENMU-Portales, I walked down Main Street around 8:15 PM and found a bundle of holiday decorations leaning against the Portales City Library door. There were lights, tinsel, and a few ornaments tucked into a dusty tote, as if someone had rushed off in a hurry. They look ready for a porch display, not a store setup, and I imagine the owner’s scramble to get everything hung before friends arrive. If these belong to you, please respond to this listing so we can arrange a pickup through the site.

Portales City Library on Main St, Portales 4 days ago

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Found brooches in Clovis, NM

Hi, I’m Olivia Chavez. I found these brooches this morning around 11:30 a.m. on Main Street in Clovis, just outside the Old Town Square near the Norman Petty Recording Studios sign. They look like a coordinated little collection—a gold leaf, a blue glass stone, and a tiny silver star-pin. Whoever wore them clearly valued them, and I’m hoping the owner will see this and claim them.

Main Street, near Old Town Square, Clovis 22 days ago

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Found USB flash drive with orange sticker

I found a USB flash drive this afternoon around 1:30pm in the parking lot behind the Portales Public Library on West 2nd Street. It's a small black USB drive with a bright orange circular sticker on the cap featuring a simple white star. The drive is labeled on the back with the initials 'CB' and reads 32GB, and it looks like it was used recently. It seems like it could belong to someone who values their digital files, so I'm hoping to reunite it with its owner.

Clovis / Portales 2 months ago

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Rose gold ring with blue stone found near Walmart

I found a rose-gold ring with a small blue sapphire in the parking lot behind the Walmart on Main Street in Clovis this morning around 10:45am. It’s a women’s size 7 with a slim, polished band and a slightly raised bezel setting that catches the light. Inside the band there’s an engraving that reads 'A.S. 04/22,' plus a tiny chip on the inner edge that I can feel if you run your finger along it. The ring is in good overall condition, just wear from daily use. If this sounds like yours, message me and we can compare the engraving to confirm, and I’ll arrange a safe hand-off nearby.

Clovis / Portales 2 months ago

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Gold ring with ruby and heart engraving

I found a gold-tone ring this afternoon around 4:15pm outside the CVS Pharmacy on Main Street in Clovis. It's a slender band, about size 6.5, with a small red ruby set in a simple bezel and a delicate heart-shaped engraving on the inside. The ring shows light wear, a few micro-scratches along the band, but the ruby is bright and secure. It looks meaningful—maybe it was a gift to someone special. If this rings a bell for anyone, I’d really like to get it back to its owner.

Clovis / Portales 2 months ago

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Hand-painted ceramic vase with geometric pattern

I found a hand-painted ceramic vase this afternoon around 2:15 pm behind the Palace Theatre on Main Street in Clovis. It's about 8 inches tall with a rounded body, glazed in teal and cobalt blue, featuring a delicate geometric pattern and a thin gold line circling the rim. There’s a tiny chip on the lip and the bottom bears initials 'LM' along with a small date stamp from a local studio. I spotted it near the Palace Plaza bench after a walk and picked it up to keep it safe. If you recognize it or can share more about the artist, please reach out—I’d be happy to help reunite the piece with its owner.

Clovis / Portales 4 months ago