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

Helpful resources for Santa Maria

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Santa Maria

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Sunflower ceramic vase found near Santa Maria library

I found this sunflower ceramic vase this afternoon around 4:15 pm behind the Santa Maria Public Library, near the parking lot off S Broadway. It’s about 7 inches tall with a cream glaze and hand-painted sunflowers in bright yellow. The glaze is glossy with a subtle crackle finish, and there’s a small chip on the rim that I could feel when I picked it up. On the bottom there’s a pencil inscription that reads 'S. Rivera 2019,' so it might be a personal piece. It seems well-made and has a nice charm, and I’d love to help reunite it with its owner—if you can describe the inscription or the chip, I’ll arrange the return.

Santa Maria about 2 months ago

found P

Keys on blue lanyard with paw charm

Found a set of keys this afternoon around 3:15pm in the parking lot behind the Santa Maria Public Library on S Broadway. They're on a bright blue nylon lanyard with a small silver dog-shaped charm and a couple of worn keys; one key head is dented and there's a red heart sticker with the initial 'J' on a brass key. The lanyard is in good condition and the keys rattle when I shake them. If these belong to you, DM me here and tell me the distinguishing details so we can reunite them with their owner.

Santa Maria about 2 months ago

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Found gray dwarf hamster near Santa Maria Library

I found a small gray dwarf hamster this afternoon outside the Santa Maria Public Library on S. McClelland St. It’s a fluffy little guy, about the size of a peanut butter jar lid, with soft gray fur, a white belly, and a tiny white patch behind the left ear plus a pink nose. No collar or chip I can see. He seemed a bit hungry and a little scared, but he warmed up to a seed I offered. He’s safe with me in a small ventilated crate, and I’m hoping to reunite him with his owner soon—if this is your hamster, DM me here and we can arrange a meetup near the library.

Santa Maria 2 months ago

found P

Keys on blue lanyard with red Toyota fob

Found a set of keys this afternoon around 4:15pm in the parking lot behind the Santa Maria Public Library on Broadway. There are about 5 keys on a thick brass ring, plus a blue nylon lanyard with a white star pattern. The main car key has a bright red Toyota fob, and there's a small green enamel tag engraved with the initials JC. A round silver tag engraved with 'EST. 1999' also dangles from the ring. They looked a little dusty from being on the ground but are still in decent shape. I’d love to get them back to the owner—if these details sound familiar, reply here with how your keys are arranged so I can verify.

Santa Maria 3 months ago

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Black North Face backpack found near library

I found a black North Face backpack this afternoon around 2:50pm behind the Santa Maria Public Library on S Broadway, near the bike racks by the fountain. It's a medium-sized backpack in good condition, with a bright red zipper pull that makes it stand out. Inside, there's a blue hardcover notebook, a compact charger, and a laminated library card with the name 'Amara Singh' on it. I grabbed it because it looked unattended and I figured the owner might be worried. If this belongs to you, I’d love to help get it back—verify a couple details so I know it’s yours.

Santa Maria 3 months ago

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Cream scarf with reindeer pattern

I found a cream-colored knitted scarf this afternoon around 2:15pm outside the Santa Maria Public Library on S Broadway, by the bike racks. It's a medium-weight scarf, about 60 inches long, with a red and green reindeer pattern along the ends—very seasonal. There's a small brown leather tag stitched on the inner edge that says 'Mira'—gives it a personal touch. The scarf is in good condition, no stains, a couple of loose threads at the fringe. It looks like it could be something meaningful to someone, and I really hope to get it back to the owner.

Santa Maria 4 months ago