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

Helpful resources for College Station

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in College Station

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Found scarves by Century Tree on campus

Friday night around 8:30 p.m., I found these scarves lying by the Century Tree near University Drive, just behind Texas A&M University in College Station. One scarf is maroon with cream stripes; the other is plain gray, both knit and warm-looking. They looked recently dropped, no owner in sight, so I folded them nearby and kept an eye out as the campus cooled down. It felt good to catch them before someone shivered through the night—hopeful their owner will see this and claim them.

Sentimental

Century Tree, University Dr, College Station, TX 8 days ago

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Found hand tools on campus near Memorial Student Center

At 2:15 p.m. today, I found a compact tool kit outside the Memorial Student Center on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station, Texas. Inside is a yellow-handled hammer, a mix of wrenches, and a rolled tape measure in a worn canvas bag. It was sitting by the flagpole near the main entrance, so I left it in a visible spot where someone passing by would be likely to see it. Losing tools really stalls a project, and I’ve felt that urge to get someone’s stuff back to where it belongs.

Outside Memorial Student Center, on the Texas A&M campus 22 days ago

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FOUND: Trading Cards in College Station

At about 4:40 p.m. last Tuesday, I found a stack of trading cards under a bench near the Memorial Student Center on the Texas A&M campus in College Station. The cards looked well-used—edges curled, a faded logo, a sticker with a kid's handwriting on the top card. They clearly didn't belong to me, so I gathered them up and handed them to the campus front desk to help reunite them with their owner. It felt satisfying, like a small act of kindness in this big college town on a bright afternoon after game-day vibes. If these belong to you, I hope this listing helps you find them through the site.

near the Memorial Student Center, on the Texas A&M campus 29 days ago

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Found brooches in College Station, TX.

This morning, around 9:20 a.m., I found a small cluster of brooches on the brick path outside the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station. They are a blue enamel flower and a tiny silver bee among them, well-worn but charming. I tucked them into a safe place near the library entrance while I waited to see if anyone would claim them. Seeing them reminded me how a single piece of jewelry can carry a memory in a busy campus morning.

George Bush Library entrance, TAMU campus about 2 months ago

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Black clip-on guitar tuner with red lanyard

I found a black clip-on guitar tuner this afternoon around 2:15pm behind the George Bush Library parking lot on George Bush Dr in College Station. It’s compact, about the size of a deck of cards, with a red nylon lanyard and a white tag that reads 'LJ'. The screen is bright and the body has a small scratch on the back, but it still looks like it works. If you’re missing a tuner like this, tell me the initials on the tag and the color of the lanyard, and we can arrange pickup near campus so you can get it back.

College Station about 2 months ago

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Nintendo Switch OLED with neon Joy-Cons

I found a Nintendo Switch OLED model this afternoon around 2:45pm here in College Station. It's white with neon red and blue Joy-Cons, in pretty good condition with a clean screen and just a few specks of dust under the screen protector. I found it near the Memorial Student Center parking lot behind the MSC on George Bush Drive, by the bus stop. It comes with a space-themed silicone case and a blue carrying pouch with a small rocket sticker on the back, nice little identifying features. I know how much this could mean to someone and I'd love to help get it back.

College Station 3 months ago