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

Helpful resources for Lincoln

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Lincoln

found P

Red Santa hat with white fur trim found

Found a red Santa hat with white faux fur trim this afternoon around 2:15pm outside Bailey's Bakery on O Street in the Haymarket. It's a felt hat, adult size, with a tiny pine-needle pin tucked under the brim and a faint sparkle on the fur. The hat looks gently worn but overall in good condition—the lining is soft, with no rips. I was walking from the parking lot toward the fountain when I spotted it on the sidewalk by the brick planters. If it's yours, message me here with a quick detail about the pine pin or a photo to claim it.

Lincoln 21 days ago

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Ray-Ban blue tortoise glasses with engraving

I found a pair of Ray-Ban glasses this afternoon around 3:15pm on O Street, just outside Indigo Bridge Books & Café in Lincoln's Haymarket. They’re blue tortoise acetate with rectangular frames. The lenses are clear, but one has a tiny scratch in the top corner. The inside of the left temple is engraved with the initials 'M.K.' and the hinges show light wear. Overall, they’re in decent condition; no case or cleaning cloth found. If this looks like yours, shoot me a message here and we’ll figure out how to get them back.

Lincoln 22 days ago

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National Geographic magazine with orange cover found

I found a National Geographic magazine with a bright orange cover this afternoon around 3:15pm near the downtown Lincoln library entrance on O Street. It's the June issue from a few years back, the spine is creased and the pages show light wear. Inside the front page there's a small sticker with the initials 'R.S.' and a bookmark sticking out between pages 42-43. It smells like coffee and it clearly mattered to someone. If this is yours, I can drop it at the library desk or we can meet at a nearby cafe; I just want to get it back to you.

Lincoln about 2 months ago

found A

Found black wireless earbuds with blue case

I found a pair of black wireless earbuds this afternoon around 2:15pm in Lincoln. They come with a blue charging case that has a tiny panda sticker on the lid and a light scratch on the right earbud. The case is a bit scuffed, but the earbuds pair with my phone and hold a solid charge, so they seem in decent working condition. I found them in the parking lot behind the Starbucks on O Street, near the State Capitol, so maybe they fell out of a bag during a quick stop. If these are yours, email me at [email protected] with a description of the stickers and I’ll arrange a time to return them.

Lincoln 2 months ago

found A

Found blue paperback mystery novel near Lincoln Public Library

I found a blue paperback mystery novel this afternoon around 3:15 PM outside the Lincoln Public Library on O Street, near the bike racks by the main entrance. The book is a medium-sized paperback, probably 320-360 pages, with a coffee ring mark on the front cover and a red ribbon bookmark sticking out from chapter 9. The cover art shows a quiet city skyline at night; the spine is a little bent but the pages are clean. It looks well-loved, which makes me hope the owner still wants it back. If this sounds like yours, I’m happy to coordinate a quick meetup by the library entrance.

Lincoln 2 months ago

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Found university student ID near Lincoln Library

I found a plastic university student ID this afternoon around 2:15pm on the sidewalk outside the Lincoln Public Library on O Street. It's white and credit-card sized, with an orange stripe and the Lincoln University logo in the corner. The photo shows a person with short black hair wearing a gray hoodie; the name on the card reads 'Avery Chen'. The back edge has a coffee stain and a few scratches along the bottom. If this is yours, please reach out—IDs are a pain to replace, and I’d love to get it back to you.

Lincoln 3 months ago