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

Helpful resources for Gold Country

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Gold Country

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Found: Collars near Nevada Theatre, Nevada City

Hi, I'm Ana Morales. While strolling down Main Street in Nevada City around 2:30 p.m. last Sunday, I found a bundle of dog collars near the entry to the Nevada Theatre. They were laid out on the curb in front of a red brick storefront, varying in size with one reflective strap. I placed them on a nearby bench and stayed nearby for a few minutes, hoping an owner would see this post. It felt good to help a dog find its way back to the person who loves it.

Main Street, near the Nevada Theatre, Nevada City 4 days ago

found J

FOUND drums near Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley

On Friday evening around 6:25 p.m., I found a drum set tucked behind the main stage at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley. The kit leaned against a trailer, sticks poking from the snare, and a single sticker reading 'Riley' on the kick drum. I checked the surrounding benches and crowd for a while but didn’t see anyone looking for it, so I brought it to a safer spot near the entrance. It feels like it belonged to a band member who got tangled up in the rush of the evening. If this is yours, please reach out through the site so we can reunite you with your gear.

Sentimental

Near the Nevada County Fairgrounds main gate 9 days ago

found M

FOUND: Trading cards in Gold Country, California.

I found them around 6:40 p.m. on Saturday on Main Street in Auburn, in the heart of Gold Country, California. A fanned-out spread of trading cards lay near a streetlamp by the old Bank Building, still slightly damp from a drizzle. It brought back memories of trading days with friends after school. I kept the lot together and left them where I found them, hoping the owner will see this post and get them back soon.

Main Street, downtown Auburn. about 1 month ago

found J

Found: vintage postcards in Gold Country, CA

I was wandering along Main Street in Nevada City around 3:45 p.m. on Monday when a weathered tin by the curb caught my eye. Inside, a stack of old postcards peeked out, their backs stamped with tiny postmarks and faint handwriting. They depict gold rush towns, old steam trains, and prairie sunsets, the paper softened to the touch by years of rain and sun. I picked them up feeling a little guardianship for someone’s memories and left them tucked in a safe place here on the site, hoping the owner will see this and reclaim them.

near the Nevada City post office on Main Street about 2 months ago

found D

Found radios near Empire Mine Park

While strolling along Main Street in Grass Valley around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, I spotted two portable radios and a pair of headphones lying on the sidewalk near the Empire Mine State Historic Park. One radio is a little scratched; the other has a sticker that reads Midwest Comm. They look used but still functional, and they were just sitting there as if someone had set them down and forgotten them. I picked them up and posted this listing hoping the rightful owner will see it.

near Empire Mine State Historic Park, Grass Valley 2 months ago

found D

Silver harmonica in black pouch found Grass Valley, Gold Country

I found a silver Hohner Special 20 10-hole harmonica in a black fabric pouch with a bright red drawstring this afternoon around 3:15 pm. It looks gently used, with a little tarnish on the brass reeds and a couple of tiny dents from travel. It was sitting on a bench outside the Briar Patch Co-op on Main Street in Grass Valley, Gold Country. The pouch has a sticker that reads 'MUSIC CAMP 2023' and the mouthpiece is engraved with the initials 'JS'. If this belongs to you, I’d love to get it back to its owner.

Gold Country 5 months ago