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

Helpful resources for Great Falls

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Great Falls

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Found: Equipment for Various Sports in Great Falls

I found equipment for various sports this afternoon around 2:15 p.m. outside the Great Falls Civic Center on 9th Avenue. It looks like a mixed bag—a few tennis rackets sticking out, a basketball, a soccer ball, a folded yoga mat, and a whistle. The bag bears a faded team logo that's rubbed off. I picked it up to keep it safe and carried it to the Civic Center steps, hoping the owner will see this listing. The sun felt good on my shoulders, and it gave me a small sense of relief to help someone out.

Great Falls Civic Center, 9th Ave 12 days ago

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Found gray tabby cat with white paws

I found a gray tabby cat with white paws this afternoon around 4:15pm by the Market Place on 10th Avenue South in Great Falls. It’s an adult cat, about medium size, wearing a blue collar with a tiny bell and a faint white chest patch. It has a small scar on the nose and its left ear is a little bent, which makes it easy to spot. The cat was friendly, let me approach, and I carried him to my car so he wouldn’t dart into traffic. I’d love to get him back to his owner—he seems loved and missed.

Great Falls about 1 month ago

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Found neon teal dog collar with paw-tag

I found a neon teal dog collar this afternoon around 3:15pm along the River's Edge Trail, near the 3rd Street South crossing by Giant Springs Park in Great Falls. It's a nylon collar about 1 inch wide with reflective stitching and a small bone-shaped metal tag stamped 'MILO' on the D-ring. The buckle shows a bit of wear and there are a few dog hairs snagged on it, but otherwise it's in good shape. Milo must belong to someone who cares—it's clearly sentimental, and I’d really like to see it go back to its owner. If you recognize the collar, shoot me a message and we can arrange a quick meet-up near the park entrance to return it.

Great Falls about 2 months ago

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Gray Nike hoodie found near Central Ave library

I found a gray Nike hoodie this afternoon around 3:15pm in the parking lot behind the Great Falls Public Library on Central Avenue. It's a medium fleece hoodie with a black zipper and a small mountain range patch on the left chest. The drawstrings are black and there's a faint coffee stain on the inside hem that barely shows. It's in good shape overall, and I hope to get it back to its owner soon—it clearly belongs to someone who wore it a lot. If this is yours, drop a message with a detail like where you last wore it or a pocket imprint and we can arrange a quick meetup near the library.

Great Falls 3 months ago

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Bright blue dog harness with reflective trim

I found a bright blue dog harness with a lime-green reflective stripe this morning around 9:40am. It’s nylon, size medium, with a quick-release buckle and a faint muddy paw-print mark on the inside. I found it near River's Edge Park along 7th Street Northwest, just past the overlook where folks walk their dogs. The harness looks gently used and has no ID tag, so I figured I’d post here in case someone is missing their pup’s gear. If this belongs to you, send a message and we can meet up at the park entrance or by the fountain in Great Falls so you can reclaim it.

Great Falls 3 months ago

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Navy blue hard-shell suitcase with red zipper pulls

Found this large Samsonite navy blue hard-shell suitcase this afternoon around 3:15pm in the parking lot behind the Holiday Village Mall on 10th Ave South in Great Falls. It’s a bit scuffed on the edges and the wheel on one corner is a little stiff, but the shell itself is solid. It has a bright red fabric luggage tag on the handle and a faded sticker inside the lid from Seattle-Tacoma airport. I’d really like to reunite it with its owner, since someone was probably traveling and this would mean a lot to them. If you know who it belongs to, message me and I’ll hold onto it safely until claimed.

Great Falls 5 months ago