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

Helpful resources for Eastern CT

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Eastern CT

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Found Devices in Eastern CT

I found a group of devices on a bench outside the Mohegan Sun entrance in Uncasville around 7:15 PM last Friday. There was a laptop sleeve, a tablet, and a charger tucked into a small backpack. I checked for any ID but found nothing obvious, so I turned them in to casino security to hold for the owner. It felt good to do something helpful after a long day, and I'm hoping the rightful owner sees this soon.

Near Mohegan Sun, Uncasville 17 days ago

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Found brooches on State Street

I found a small collection of brooches on the sidewalk outside the Garde Arts Center on State Street in New London at about 4:30 p.m. yesterday. The pieces are charming and clearly cared-for: two gold-tone pins with enamel flowers, plus a tiny dolphin-shaped pin. They’re a bit tarnished, but otherwise intact, as if someone wore them for years and then tucked them away. I gathered them and kept them safe, hoping the owner will see this listing and recognize the pieces that used to be their daily accessories.

in front of the Garde Arts Center on State Street about 1 month ago

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Found sheet music near New London Public Library

Yesterday around 5:20 pm I spotted a bundle of sheet music under a bench outside the New London Public Library on State Street. The pages are creased, and a pencil tempo marking shows on the first page, with a red cover sheet that reads 'Rehearsal Pieces.' Some pages include small markings for a local gig at the Garde Arts Center next month. I tucked the sheets into a sleeve in my bag so they wouldn't get ruined in the drizzle. It felt like a small beacon of someone’s practice and passion. I hope the owner will see this and recognize their music soon.

outside the New London Public Library steps about 1 month ago

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FOUND: Holiday Decorations in Eastern CT.

I found a box of holiday decorations behind a shop on Main Street in Groton, Eastern CT, Connecticut, United States around 6:20 PM on Friday. The box includes a green wreath, a string of multicolored lights, and a few silver ornaments, all wrapped in tissue with a name tag still legible. It reminds me how much care people put into making the season bright, and how something left behind can carry a little of someone’s home. I’ve kept the decorations safe and posted here so the owner can reclaim them through the site.

near Groton Town Hall about 1 month ago

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FOUND Microwaves in Eastern CT

On Monday at 11:40 AM, while I was walking near Mystic Seaport in Mystic, CT, I spotted two microwaves sitting behind a trash bin by a building on Water Street. They looked untouched, so I picked them up and carried them to the security desk at the nearby community center to keep them safe until the owner could claim them. It felt like a small bit of luck in a busy day, and I’m glad I could help. If the rightful owner sees this, I hope they recognize them and claim them through the site.

near Mystic Seaport Museum, Water Street entrance about 2 months ago

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Gray plush cat with lime-green ribbon

Found a gray plush cat about 12 inches tall behind the Mystic Aquarium parking lot this afternoon around 1:45pm. It has soft fur, white paws, bright green eyes, and a lime-green ribbon tied around its neck. There’s a small white patch on the belly and a tiny snag on the tail from a tumble outside. It clearly belongs to a kid who loves it, so I’d be glad to hand it back to the owner in Eastern CT.

Eastern CT 3 months ago