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

Helpful resources for Hilton Head

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Hilton Head

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Found microwave near Coligny Beach, Hilton Head.

I found a microwave propped on a bench outside the Seafood Shack near Coligny Plaza around 9:20 a.m. today. It's a white countertop model with a dented door and a faint popcorn smell, as if someone had hurriedly heated something before leaving. Hilton Head days can be busy, and I know how easy it is to misplace a small kitchen gadget on vacation. If this microwave is yours, you’ll recognize the dent and the scent, and I’m hoping we can get it back to you.

Outside the Seafood Shack near Coligny Plaza 17 days ago

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Found belts near Harbour Town Lighthouse, Hilton Head.

I found these belts yesterday afternoon around 4:25 PM near Harbour Town Lighthouse in Hilton Head. I was walking along Coligny Plaza and spotted the belts lying on a bench by the marina. They looked new and were inside a brown leather bag, with a few distinctive buckles that might belong to someone who wore them to a wedding or work. I’m keeping them safe here in case the owner sees this listing and can claim them through the site.

Near Harbour Town Lighthouse, Hilton Head. about 1 month ago

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Red paperback novel with blue bookmark found near Coligny Plaza

I found a red paperback novel this afternoon around 2:45 PM near the Coligny Plaza fountain on Hilton Head. It's a standard paperback, with a blue bookmark stuck between pages 112 and 113, and there's a coffee ring stain on the back cover. The spine is a little creased from travel, and there's a small dog-eared corner on page 84. I know how easy it is to lose a book on vacation, so I'm hoping the owner will recognize it from those features and the location near Coligny Plaza.

Hilton Head about 2 months ago

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Navy blue tuxedo jacket with monogram

I found a navy blue tuxedo jacket with satin Lapels this morning around 9:15 am near the Coligny Plaza fountain on Pope Avenue in Hilton Head. It's size medium and in good condition, with a white pocket square neatly tucked in the breast pocket and a small J.P. monogram stitched on the inside lining. It looks like it belonged to someone headed to a wedding or formal event, and I figured it should go back to its owner rather than sitting in my closet. If this sounds like yours, please shoot me a message and we can meet up nearby to return it.

Hilton Head 2 months ago

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Red paperback Great Gatsby with shell bookmark found

Found a red paperback copy of The Great Gatsby this morning around 9:15am on a bench outside Coligny Plaza, near the Pope Avenue entrance on Hilton Head Island. It's a standard 5x8 inch paperback with a few creases on the spine and a bright blue seashell bookmark sticking out from page 78. There's a light coffee stain on the back cover and a tiny grocery-store receipt tucked inside the front cover, suggesting it's been read many times this summer. It clearly belongs to someone who loves the book and I’d love to see it back with its owner; if the finder recognizes this, reach me here in the app or at [email protected].

Hilton Head 3 months ago

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Silver ring with sapphire found near Coligny Plaza

I found a silver ring with a small sapphire set in a bezel this afternoon around 2:15pm near Coligny Plaza on South Forest Beach Drive in Hilton Head. It's a slender 6mm band, probably size 7, with an engraving on the inner lip that reads 'M.R.' The ring shows a light scratch along the side, but the sapphire still catches the sun. I picked it up near the fountain by the ice cream shop, hoping to reunite it with its owner. If this might be yours, tell me the engraving details or the last place you wore it — I’d love to get it back to you.

Hilton Head 4 months ago