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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 Essex? Handling it responsibly protects both you and the owner. Rules vary by location, but the principles are consistent.

  1. Make a reasonable effort to find the owner. Check for ID, contact details, or anything that identifies who it belongs to.
  2. 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.
  3. Hand valuables to the authorities. Report significant or high-value finds to the police non-emergency line for Essex; they'll log it and may issue a reference.
  4. Store it safely. Keep the item secure and unchanged while you try to return it.
  5. Post a found listing. Add a found-item listing for Essex with enough detail for the real owner to identify it — while holding back one verifying detail.

Helpful resources for Essex

Recent reports in Essex

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Found pins near Essex town center today.

I was walking past the Essex Library on Tuesday afternoon around 4:15 p.m. when I spotted a small pile of enamel pins on the pavement near the market stalls. They looked like they might belong to someone, so I picked them up and kept them safe, hoping the owner would recognize them. There are about a dozen pins, with designs ranging from band logos to cartoon characters. If any of this sounds like yours, check the library steps and the market square—I'll hold onto them until contact is made.

Outside Essex Library, near the market square 11 days ago
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Found: Organizers at Chelmsford station

On Tuesday at 4:15 PM I found a small set of black plastic organizers on the pavement outside Chelmsford railway station in Essex. They look a bit scuffed from rain, with a clear lid that reveals a jumble of receipts and notes inside. I can imagine someone rushing to catch a train, papers fluttering, and their day going from organized to chaotic in seconds. I wanted to help reunite them with the rightful owner, because losing something that keeps your day in order is so stressful.

outside Chelmsford railway station 29 days ago
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FOUND Paintings in Essex, Essex, United Kingdom

I found a stack of framed paintings leaning against a wall outside Market Square in Essex town center, Essex, United Kingdom, around 4:15 pm on Wednesday. The canvases show bright seascapes and countryside, still wrapped in protective plastic. I placed them in a sheltered doorway near the Market Square fountain, hoping the owner would recognize the scenes. It’s strange to stumble on art like this, but I’m glad to help reunite it with whoever created or commissioned it.

outside Market Square fountain, Essex town center about 2 months ago
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Found toasters in Essex, Essex

Hello, I’m Alice Turner. I found two toasters on the pavement outside Chelmsford Cathedral yesterday around 5:45 PM. They were silver with black dials, sitting near a recycling bin, and they seemed recently used. I figured someone nearby would be missing them, so I didn’t move them far, just left them where I found them in case the owner returns. If you recognize these appliances, I hope you’ll claim them here so they can go back to their rightful kitchen.

near Chelmsford Cathedral, off Duke Street, Chelmsford 3 months ago
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Found photographs near Colchester High Street

I was walking down Colchester High Street in Essex around 11:40 AM on Tuesday when I spotted a weathered photo album lying behind a bench outside a charity shop. The photos show a mix of family holidays—from a seaside trip to a school pageant—and the margins have handwritten dates that hint at years long past. Holding them gave me a bittersweet feeling, like I’d stumbled on a window into someone else’s memories. I’d love to see these returned to their owner, if that’s possible through the site.

High Street near Colchester Library 3 months ago
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Found black Nikon camera with red strap

I found this black Nikon camera yesterday around 3:15pm behind the Costa Coffee on High Street in Colchester, Essex. It's a compact SLR body with a 50mm lens, the leather grip shows some wear, and a bright red fabric strap is attached. The camera has a small dent on the bottom edge and a bit of dust on the lens, but it powers up when I tested it. It seems to have sentimental value—someone probably used it to capture memories—and I'd love to return it to its owner. A couple of unique identifiers: there's a blue whale sticker on the lens cap and the initials 'J.S.' lightly engraved on the bottom plate. If this is yours, drop me a message and we can arrange a pickup.

Essex 3 months ago