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

Helpful resources for New Haven

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in New Haven

found A

Found postcards near Yale, New Haven Green.

Found these postcards this afternoon on the New Haven Green, around 3:18 p.m., tucked between a bench and a lamppost near the carousel. They tell a quiet story—seaside towns, a lighthouse, and handwriting that looks like someone’s memory journal. The backs are faded and the corners are creased from rain, but the colors still catch the light when I tilt them. I kept them dry in my tote and hoped the rightful owner would see this post and recognize a place or a date. These cards clearly meant a lot to someone, and it would mean a lot to me to see them back with the owner.

New Haven Green, near the carousel 3 days ago

found A

Found Holiday Decorations in New Haven, CT.

I was walking past the New Haven Green in New Haven, Connecticut around 10:10 AM on a Saturday when I spotted a tangle of decorations lying by the Elm Street sidewalk. A box containing a garland, a string of warm white lights, and a wreath with red berries had clearly been left behind by someone else’s celebration. I brought them home and cleaned them up, hoping the owner would recognize them when they read this post. They look like they’ve been cared for in the past, so it’s likely they belong to a family getting ready for a holiday. If the owner is out there, I’d be glad to reunite them, and I’ll hold onto the items safely until we can connect.

Near the New Haven Green, Elm St & Church St 28 days ago

found P

Gray Anker power bank with blue USB-C cable

Found a gray Anker power bank with a blue USB-C cable attached this afternoon around 4pm on College Street in front of the Yale Bookstore. The device is about the size of a small paperback, matte gray with a slightly scuffed corner near the logo. It has a tiny red paw-print sticker on the back and a short blue cable looping through the USB port. It powered on when I pressed the power button, so it seems to be in decent shape. If it's yours, describe the sticker and the last thing you saved on this device, and I’ll happily return it to you.

New Haven about 1 month ago

found A

Navy Samsonite suitcase with lime tag found near Union Station

Found a navy blue Samsonite 28-inch suitcase this morning around 9:15am outside Union Station on Whalley Ave, near the taxi stand. It’s in decent shape except for a scuffed corner and one wheel that sticks a bit when it rolls. There’s a lime-green luggage tag with a handwritten name that looks like 'J. Park' and a red TSA sticker on the zipper. Inside I found a few business cards, a travel-sized shampoo bottle, a folded map of downtown New Haven, and a light jacket. If you’re the owner, send me a message here and we’ll set up a pickup.

New Haven 4 months ago

found P

Blue North Face hoodie found near Yale Bookstore

I found a blue North Face hoodie this afternoon around 4pm outside the Yale Bookstore on College Street in New Haven. It's a men's size L, fleece-lined hoodie in solid cobalt blue with a black North Face logo on the chest and a lime-green drawstring. Inside the front pocket there's a small embroidery of 'NH' and a little coffee stain near the hem. It's in decent condition overall, just a bit wrinkled from being tossed on a bench. I figure someone must be missing it after a quick campus errand, and I'd love to help get it back to its owner.

New Haven 7 months ago

found L

Blue-and-yellow parakeet found near New Haven Green

I found a blue-and-yellow parakeet this afternoon around 2:45pm near the New Haven Green, by the corner of College Street and Elm Street. It's the size of a typical budgie, with a vivid yellow head and cobalt-blue body, and a distinctive white crescent patch on its left wing. A blue leg band with a tiny serial number is visible on its right leg. This little guy clearly belongs to someone, and I’d love to get him back to his owner. If this is yours, message through the app and we can set up a quick meet-up near the Green.

New Haven 7 months ago