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

Helpful resources for Greensboro

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Greensboro

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Blue Nike running shorts with neon trim

I found a pair of blue Nike running shorts this afternoon around 2:45pm in the parking lot behind the Four Seasons Town Centre mall on Wendover Avenue in Greensboro. They’re men's size M, cobalt blue with lime-green side panels and a reflective swoosh on the left leg. There’s a small zip pocket in the back waistband and a faint Dri-FIT tag inside. A white seam runs along the side, and there’s a tiny coffee stain on the inner lining that makes them easy to spot. If these belong to you, drop a note on this listing and we can arrange retrieval.

Greensboro 2 months ago

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Oak coffee table, glass top found

Found this afternoon around 2:15pm behind the Starbucks at Friendly Center on Battleground Ave in Greensboro. It's a solid oak coffee table with a glass top, about 48 inches long and 20 inches wide, with a glossy but slightly worn finish. I can see two felt pads on the legs and a small brass-colored notch along the edge that looks like a decorative keyhole. There are a few light scratches on the surface and a minor dent on the underside shelf. I figured someone might be missing a piece of living room furniture, and I’d hate for it to go to waste—happy to hold onto it for pickup or to coordinate with the owner.

Greensboro 3 months ago

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Found parakeet: small green bird with red leg band

I found a small green parakeet this afternoon around 2:15pm near Lindley Park on Yanceyville Street in Greensboro. The bird is palm-sized with a bright green body, a yellow head, and a blue-tinted tail. It wears a bright red leg band engraved with 'K-37,' and the cage door bears a SunBird sticker. It hopped onto my finger and pecked at millet, and I know someone in Greensboro is probably missing a bird like this; if this is yours, drop a note here and we can arrange a safe meetup.

Greensboro 3 months ago

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Cream quilt with turquoise border found near Four Seasons.

Hey, I found a cream quilt with a turquoise geometric border this afternoon around 2:15pm. It’s queen-size cotton, soft, with a tiny snag along the bottom hem and a navy monogram 'AP' neatly stitched in the top-left corner. I picked it up in the parking lot behind the Four Seasons Town Centre on Westover Terrace in Greensboro. I know it probably belongs to someone who cherishes it—it's well-loved and might have sentimental value—so I’d love to help get it back to its owner.

Greensboro 4 months ago

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ID cards found behind Greensboro Main Library

Found a set of ID cards this afternoon around 3:15pm in the parking lot behind the Greensboro Main Library on N Church St. They're in a clear badge holder hanging from a bright red lanyard. The cards look like student IDs and a city employee badge; all laminated and a bit worn around the edges. One student ID shows a photo of a person with a blue scarf; another has a small dent on the corner and a blue sticker on the back. The city badge bears a silver city seal. It seems these items belong to someone who’ll be stressed to lose them—happy to help return them to the rightful owner if you can describe a couple of details.

Greensboro 5 months ago

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Blue hardcover travel guide found near Barnes & Noble

Found a blue hardcover travel guide this afternoon around 3:15 PM in the parking lot behind Barnes & Noble at the Shops at Friendly Center on West Friendly Ave in Greensboro. It’s Lonely Planet’s Europe edition from 2015, with a slightly worn spine and a coffee stain along the bottom edge. Inside, there’s a red ribbon bookmark with a small silver heart charm, and a few dog-eared pages marking a travel route. The pencil notes and highlighted sections look like someone used it recently. If someone recognizes it, I’d be glad to help return it.

Greensboro 6 months ago