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

Helpful resources for Mobile

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Mobile

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Found stamps near Bienville Square, Mobile

On Tuesday at 2:45 PM, I found a small binder of vintage stamps tucked under a bench near Bienville Square in downtown Mobile. The binder is worn, with a red cover and a few stamps peeking out where it’s clearly been loved. It looks like someone spent years collecting them, and I wanted to do the right thing and hold onto them. I hope the owner sees this and recognizes their stamps—they’re safe with me until someone comes forward.

Sentimental

near Bienville Square, downtown Mobile 9 days ago

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Found CDs on Dauphin Street

I was walking my dog around 6:15 PM last Friday, outside the Saenger Theatre on Dauphin Street in Mobile when I found a bundle of CDs lying on the curb. I picked them up, noticing a mix of rock, jazz, and pop with several handwritten labels. It felt like they belonged to someone who loves music, and I wanted to do the right thing by posting here so the owner can reclaim them. If these are yours, please claim them through the site and we’ll get them back where they belong.

outside the Saenger Theatre on Dauphin St 22 days ago

found A

Blue plush dinosaur with red scarf

Found a blue plush dinosaur with a red scarf this afternoon near the Mobile Public Library on Government Street. It's about 12 inches tall, with a soft, slightly matted blue fur and a tiny green tag sticking out from the seam on its left foot. The dinosaur has embroidered eyes and a small orange patch on the belly, plus a barely noticeable scratch along the tail from a kid-friendly tumble. I figured it probably belongs to a kid who’s missing it after a visit to the library or the nearby bookstore; I’d really like to help reunite it with its owner.

Mobile about 2 months ago

found A

Orange beach umbrella with SunCoast sticker

I found a bright orange beach umbrella this afternoon around 2:15pm in the parking lot behind the Gulf Coast Exploreum on Government Street. It’s a large, foldable umbrella with navy ribs and a sun-bleached white handle. The canopy has a small tear near the edge and there’s a yellow SunCoast sticker on one panel. It’s in decent shape and would be perfect for this weekend’s beach day. I tucked it by the Exploreum front desk for safekeeping in case the owner comes by.

Mobile 2 months ago

found A

Black leather briefcase found near Bienville Square

I found a black leather briefcase this afternoon around 2:10pm on Dauphin Street outside a cafe near Bienville Square in downtown Mobile. It's a sturdy 14-inch case with a worn leather handle and brass hardware that still shines. Inside there’s a navy notebook, a white USB-C charger, and a red leather luggage tag with the initials 'A.Y.' The lining has a small coffee stain in the bottom corner, and the label on the inside reads 'Briggs & Riley'—the tag itself is a bit frayed. It seems well cared for, which makes me think it belongs to someone who travels a lot. If this is yours, tell me a detail about the contents to prove ownership.

Mobile 3 months ago

found A

Found concert ticket near Dauphin Street, Mobile

Found a concert ticket this afternoon around 2:45 pm outside the Saenger Theatre on Dauphin Street in downtown Mobile. It's a white, glossy 6x3 inch ticket with a bright teal holographic logo and a barcode at the bottom that ends 6231. The seat details say Section B, Row 7, Seat 12, and there's a small crease along the lower edge plus a faint coffee stain on the back. If this is yours, I can hand it over near the theatre entrance or we can arrange a pickup at a nearby cafe. It felt wrong not to try to return it—tickets hold a lot of meaning for a big night out.

Mobile 3 months ago