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

Helpful resources for New Orleans

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in New Orleans

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Gold ring with emerald found near Bourbon Street

I found this gold ring with an emerald this afternoon around 3:15pm while wandering along Decatur Street near Jackson Square, right outside Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter of New Orleans. It’s a slender 14k yellow gold band with a bezel-set square-cut emerald, and there’s a tiny scratch along the bezel edge that makes it easy to identify. Inside the shank there’s a faint engraving, 'JL', near the base in a delicate script. The emerald shows a natural inclusion that gives it character and makes it unique. I picked it up because it looked valuable and I really want to help reunite it with its owner—if this sounds like yours, share the initials and how you wore it so we can verify and get it back to you smoothly.

New Orleans 2 months ago

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Pink reflective harness with bone tag

I found this pink reflective dog harness this afternoon around 4:15pm near the Audubon Park entrance on St. Charles Avenue, right by the streetcar stop. It's a bright nylon harness, size small, with reflective piping and a small silver bone-shaped tag that reads 'Misty' on the buckle. It's in good condition—no tears, just a bit of dirt from the park. The color really pops in the sun, and I figured it probably belongs to a pup who had a great walk today. I'll hold onto it here until the owner claims it or you message me with identifying details.

New Orleans 4 months ago

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Found vintage Star Wars Darth Vader action figure

Found a vintage Star Wars Darth Vader action figure this morning around 9am behind the French Market on Decatur Street. It's a 3.75-inch Kenner figure from the late 1980s, with a black cape and a slightly faded chest panel. The helmet has a tiny scuff on the right temple and there’s a faint sticker residue on the back. I’m keeping it safe and would love to return it to the rightful owner—this little guy clearly meant something to someone, and I figured a collector might be missing him.

New Orleans 4 months ago

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Navy North Face parka found near Cafe du Monde

I found a navy blue North Face parka this afternoon around 3:20pm, left on a bench outside Cafe du Monde on Royal Street in the French Quarter, New Orleans. It's a men's size M, has a detachable faux-fur hood and a bright red North Face logo on the sleeve. There’s a small tear near the cuff and a fleur-de-lis charm dangling from the zipper pull, plus an old rain-stained label inside that says 'Aiden'. I figured someone might be missing it and decided to post here in case the owner sees it. If this is yours, we can meet near Jackson Square to return it.

New Orleans 4 months ago

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Found Jazz Fest tickets and passes near French Market

I found Jazz Fest tickets and a VIP pass this afternoon around 3:15pm near the French Market on Decatur Street in New Orleans. There are two paper general admission tickets with a green gradient and a pink stripe along the edge, plus a black lanyard VIP pass with a white badge that says 'Guest' and a small holographic seal. One ticket has a coffee stain on the corner and a tiny handwritten note in pencil: 'D. Rivera' on the back. I wanted to do the right thing because these look important and part of a special night. If you recognize them, reach out and we can meet near Jackson Square to get them back.

New Orleans 4 months ago

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Found paperback novel with blue cover

I found a paperback this afternoon around 3pm, lying on the sidewalk beside a coffee cart on Royal Street near the French Market in the French Quarter. It's a mass-market mystery novel, blue cover with a slightly faded title and a coffee ring on the edge, pages a bit dog-eared. There's a small sticker with the initials 'E.D.' on the back cover and a folded bookmark tucked between pages 112. It looks well-loved, like someone reads it every weekend. If this belongs to you, I'd really like to get it back—send me a message here and we can arrange a safe pickup.

New Orleans 6 months ago