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

Helpful resources for Eastern Kentucky

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Eastern Kentucky

found L

Found: Student ID near EKU library.

Last Wednesday, around 5:12 p.m., I found a Student ID on a bench just outside the EKU campus library in Richmond, Kentucky. The card bears the name Claire Thompson and a purple lanyard. The photo is clear, the campus seal crisp, but the card is bent and a coffee ring marks the edge. It felt oddly intimate to hold someone’s identity in my hands, like a tiny window into a day they left behind. I brought it to the campus lost-and-found desk and left a note so the owner can claim it through the site. If this sounds like yours, please reach out through the site to arrange retrieval.

Near EKU Library steps, Richmond, KY 11 days ago

found A

Found enamel pins on Hazard Main Street.

I was locking up my bike outside Pine Mountain Market in Hazard around 2:15 PM this past Tuesday when I spotted a small stack of enamel pins sitting on a concrete bench. They’re bright, with mountain motifs and tiny badges that look hand-made. It felt like a little sign to do the right thing, so I brought them inside and kept them safe until the owner could be found. If these pins belong to you, I’ll keep them by the market entrance and hope you see this post soon.

Near Pine Mountain Market, Hazard about 1 month ago

found T

Found: Breeds in Eastern Kentucky

Today at 6:40 p.m., I found someone else’s item along a trail near Levi Jackson State Park in Hazard, Eastern Kentucky. A canvas tote sat on a bench, and inside was a folder labeled 'Breeds' with dog-breed notes and a few kennel club printouts. I left the tote in a safe spot nearby, hoping the owner would notice it. It obviously belongs to someone who cares about their dogs, and I’d feel relieved to return it to a rightful owner near the park entrance or along the Renfro Valley area.

Levi Jackson State Park entrance, Hazard about 1 month ago

found M

Found Holiday Decorations near Morehead Walmart, Eastern Kentucky

I was loading groceries at the Morehead Walmart Supercenter in Eastern Kentucky when I spotted a bundle of Holiday Decorations behind a cart corral around 4:15 p.m. yesterday. There were glittering lights, a red ribbon, and a small blue tote with a label still visible. It looked like these were hastily left behind for a big family gathering, and I felt a little tug of responsibility to help. I picked them up, hoping the rightful owner would see this listing and claim their belongings through the site.

near the Walmart entrance, Morehead about 2 months ago

found P

Navy blue Anker PowerCore charger found

I found a navy blue Anker PowerCore 10000 portable charger this afternoon around 4:15pm in the parking lot behind the Pikeville Shopping Plaza on Main Street, EKY. It's about the size of a small paperback, matte finish, with a red USB-C cable still attached and a faded white sticker with the initials 'A12' on the bottom. A few scratches along the edge show it's been bouncing around in pockets or bags, but it powers up when I plugged it in for a quick test. The item is categorized under Electronics Accessories, and I'm hoping to reunite it with its owner—if you recognize it, we can figure out a safe meetup in downtown Pikeville.

Eastern Kentucky 3 months ago

found A

Blue-gray Nike hoodie found near Walmart, London

I found this blue-gray Nike hoodie this afternoon around 3:15 behind the Walmart on Main Street in London, KY. It's a men's medium fleece hoodie, with a white Nike swoosh on the chest and bright orange drawstrings that really pop. There's a small coffee stain near the front pocket and a tiny frayed hole at the left cuff—easy to notice. Inside the tag it says 'M' and 'Nike', so size checks out. If this is yours, drop me a message and I can help get it back to you.

Eastern Kentucky 3 months ago