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

Helpful resources for Fort Dodge

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Fort Dodge

found A

Blue-green parakeet with white leg band

Found a small blue-green parakeet this morning around 9am near the Fort Dodge Public Library on Central Ave. It's a pet budgie, about the size of a sparrow, with a white leg band on its right leg reading 'A12' and a tiny yellow patch on the left wing. The bird seems healthy, chirping when I spoke to it, and it hopped onto my finger briefly. I'm hoping to reunite it with its owner here in Fort Dodge; if you know someone missing a pet bird, this is likely theirs. Reach out to [email protected] if this might be your bird.

Fort Dodge 12 days ago

found P

Gray tote bag with blue tassel and floral lining

Found this gray tote bag this afternoon around 3:15pm outside the Fort Dodge Public Library on Central Ave. It's a medium-sized canvas bag with a navy zipper and a bright blue tassel on the zipper pull. Inside, there is a red spiral notebook with the initials 'L.R.' on the cover and a pack of mint gum. The inner lining is pale yellow with a small white floral print, and there's a local cafe loyalty sleeve tucked in the pocket. It looks relatively new and wasn't torn or dirty, just left behind. I'm holding onto it for now. If this is yours, drop me a line at [email protected] and we'll figure out the rest.

Fort Dodge 18 days ago

found P

Blue travel neck pillow with penguin embroidery

I found a blue travel neck pillow this afternoon around 3:15pm outside the Hy-Vee on 5th Ave South in Fort Dodge. It’s a compact memory-foam pillow with a darker blue trim, and there’s a tiny penguin embroidery on the side. The fabric is soft but shows a bit of travel wear, and there’s a small zippered pocket on the underside that could have held a folded map or earphones. It carries a faint coffee scent from trips, but overall it’s clean. If you’re the owner, hit me up at [email protected] and we’ll figure out a safe way to return it.

Fort Dodge about 1 month ago

found P

Black Fossil watch with silver case, AR engraved

I found a black Fossil watch with a silver round case (42mm) outside the Fort Dodge Public Library on Central Ave this afternoon around 3:15 pm. The dial is white with simple markers and a tiny scratch near the 2 o'clock position. The genuine black leather strap shows some creasing from wear, but it's in decent shape overall. On the back, someone has engraved the initials 'AR', and there’s a faint red thread loop tucked under the strap—clearly a personal marker. I figured someone might be missing it, so I held onto it here at the library desk until I could post it: if this might be yours, drop a message here and we can figure it out together.

Fort Dodge about 2 months ago

found A

Found: white business card near Fort Dodge Library

I found a white, credit-card sized business card this afternoon around 2:15 PM outside the Fort Dodge Public Library on 5th Ave. It’s for Priya Patel, PR & Events at Patel Creative Co. On the back there’s a small coffee cup doodle and a note in blue ink that says, 'Please call after 3 PM.' The card is slightly bent at the corner with a light coffee stain along the bottom edge. It obviously belongs to someone else, and I’d like to get it back to them. If this rings a bell, drop me a message here and we’ll figure a safe way to reunite it.

Fort Dodge 3 months ago

found A

Found: silver Korg microKORG synth near Fort Dodge Library

I found a compact silver Korg microKORG synthesizer, an electronic instrument, in a black padded gig bag this morning around 10:45am in the parking lot behind the Fort Dodge Public Library on 2nd Avenue. It's in decent used condition, with a few light scratches on the lid and a small dent on the top edge, and there's a red heart sticker on the front of the case. Inside, there's a blue tape label that reads 'DJ Sam' and a tiny note with a partial serial number scribbled on it, which I figured might help identify the owner. I know how dependent someone can be on this gear for gigs and practice, so I'm hoping to reunite it with the rightful owner soon.

Fort Dodge 3 months ago