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

Helpful resources for Columbus

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Columbus

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Found wallet near Ohio & Long St

FOUND THIS WALLET LAYING ON THE GROUND NEAR OHIO AND LONG ST WHILE ON MY MORNING WALK. IF YOUR MISSING A WALLET PLEASE CONTACT THE EMAIL SO IT CAN BE RETURNED TO YOU!

Columbus 3 days ago

found J

Phone found at park

PHONE FOUND AT PARK THIS MORNING, IF YOU LOST THIS PHONE, PLEASE EMAIL THE CONTACT SO THAT IT CAN BE RETURNED!

Columbus 3 days ago

found J

Found travel bag near Scioto Mile

While strolling along the Scioto Mile near COSI this afternoon around 2:30 PM, I found a travel bag abandoned on the riverfront steps. It’s a black rolling suitcase with a red tag and a passport holder peeking out. Inside are clothes, a small itinerary folder, and a few travel documents. I’m not the owner, but I hope the person who lost it can claim it here and retrieve it through the site.

near COSI along the Scioto Mile 23 days ago

found D

Found item: 'Wild and Domestic' notebook

I was wandering through the North Market area in downtown Columbus this afternoon and found a small red notebook titled 'Wild and Domestic' on a bench near a bus stop at 4:20 p.m. today. The cover caught my eye, and the pages inside show a few doodles and a tiny reminder note. I’m not sure who it belongs to, but I’m glad it’s here and I hope the owner sees this listing.

near North Market, downtown Columbus 23 days ago

found D

Found document holders near North Market, Columbus

I was grabbing coffee near the North Market when I spotted two document holders left on a bench by the entrance around 11:45 a.m. One has a small corporate logo and a few loose receipts tucked inside; the other is plain black with a reinforced edge and a zipper that sticks sometimes. There wasn’t anyone nearby who seemed to be looking for them, so I picked them up and brought them here to help reunite them with their owner. I know how stressful it is to misplace important papers, and I hope this helps.

North Market entrance, Court Street about 1 month ago

found A

Christmas wreath with pinecones found near North Market

I found a handmade evergreen wreath this afternoon around 3pm on the sidewalk outside the North Market entrance on High Street in Columbus. It's about 18 inches across, with a bright red velvet bow and several pinecones, still in good shape though a bit dusty from the ground. There's a small brass snowflake pin and a care card from 'Lark & Co. Seasonal' tucked under the bow. It looks like a seasonal front-door decoration, probably from a home nearby. If this is yours, claim it in the app—happy to reunite it with its owner.

Columbus 3 months ago