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 Potsdam-Canton-Massena? 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 Potsdam-Canton-Massena; 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 Potsdam-Canton-Massena with enough detail for the real owner to identify it — while holding back one verifying detail.

Helpful resources for Potsdam-Canton-Massena

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Potsdam-Canton-Massena

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Found vintage coin album in Potsdam-Canton-Massena

I found a small leather-bound coin album this afternoon around 3:15pm near Market Street by the Potsdam Public Library. Inside there are about a dozen vintage coins, a few foreign pieces, and a folded receipt from a garage sale in the '90s. The cover is dark green with a brass clasp that sticks a bit, and there's a tiny sticker with the initials 'M.P.' on the inside cover. I can tell this is something a serious collector would want, so I’m hoping to reunite it with its rightful owner. If you’re missing a coin album, tell me the year on the receipt or details about a rare coin inside, and I’ll return it.

Potsdam-Canton-Massena 28 days ago

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Found black Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones

I found a pair of black Sony WH-1000XM4 noise-cancelling headphones this afternoon around 2:15pm behind the Potsdam Public Library on Market Street. They’re in pretty good shape, just a faint scuff on the right earcup and a tiny fray in the fabric on the headband. They came with a matte black carrying sleeve, and there’s a bright blue sticker on the zipper pull with the initials 'LJ'—a small but easy identifying feature. I figured someone must be missing them, especially since they were tucked under a bench near the bike racks by the library parking lot. If these are yours, describe the last thing you listened to or the color of your charging cable to prove ownership.

Potsdam-Canton-Massena 3 months ago

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Gray enamel pocket compass with lime clip

Category: Other Miscellaneous Items. Found a compact gray enamel pocket compass with a neon lime-green clip this afternoon around 3:30pm outside the Potsdam Food Co-op on Market Street in Potsdam. It's about 1.5 inches across, with a tiny scratch on the glass and a dent along the rim. The back is engraved with the initials 'KJ', and there’s a small red fabric lanyard still attached. If this belongs to you, I’d love to get it back—I know how easy it is to misplace a tiny thing like this, and I’m hoping to reunite it with its owner in the Potsdam-Canton-Massena area.

Potsdam-Canton-Massena 3 months ago

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Blue plush dinosaur and puzzle found

I found a small blue plush dinosaur and a wooden 24-piece puzzle in the parking lot behind the Potsdam Public Library on Market Street this afternoon, around 2:15pm. The dinosaur is about 12 inches tall, bright blue with a yellow belly and a tiny stitched scar on its left leg; the puzzle comes in a red tin with a fox image on the lid. They’re in good condition, a little grass-stained but clean. I figure they belong to a kid who was at the library story hour, and I’d love to help get them back to their owner.

Potsdam-Canton-Massena 5 months ago

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Tan-and-white beagle mix found near library

I found a friendly dog this afternoon around 4:15pm wandering near the Potsdam Public Library on Park Street. It's a beagle mix, about 25 pounds, tan with a white chest and a white-tipped tail, wearing a blue harness and a round metal tag that says Milo. He seems well-cared for, wagging his tail and soaking up ear rubs, and he has a small notch scar on his right hind leg. I checked for a microchip but didn't see one. I brought him to a safe spot by the library steps and I'll stay here to help reunite him with his family; if this is your dog, I'm here to help get him home.

Potsdam-Canton-Massena 5 months ago

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Found ceramic vase with blue floral pattern

I found a ceramic vase yesterday around 4:15 pm behind the Potsdam Farmers Market on Market Street in Potsdam. It's a slender, 9-inch tall vase with a glossy white glaze and hand-painted cobalt blue peonies around the rim. There’s a tiny chip on the base and the bottom has penciled initials 'M.L.' written in cursive. The vase looks well-loved but still sturdy, nothing else broken. It seemed like it might mean a lot to whoever owned it, so I’m hoping to reunite it with its owner.

Potsdam-Canton-Massena 6 months ago