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 Canines in Great Falls

I found Canines wandering together this morning in Great Falls. Around 8:15 a.m., I spotted them near the River's Edge Trailhead by Gibson Park, looking a bit confused but friendly. One dog had a red collar and a small name tag; the other wore a blue collar with a stray tag. I kept them safe and brought them to the local animal shelter, hoping their owner sees this listing and can identify them.

River's Edge Trailhead, near Gibson Park about 10 hours ago

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Found remote controls in Great Falls

Today at 2:10 p.m., while passing by the Great Falls Civic Center on 3rd Street, I found a bunch of remote controls scattered on the sidewalk. Some are branded, others are generic—batteries rattled around in the tote I picked up to keep them from blowing away. I brought them to the Civic Center lobby so they’ll be easy to claim for the owner. It’s a little odd how many remotes can accumulate in one place, but I’m glad someone will get theirs back.

in front of the Great Falls Civic Center, 3rd Street 7 days ago

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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 about 1 month 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 2 months 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 3 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 4 months ago