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 San Francisco Bay Area? 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 San Francisco Bay Area; 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 San Francisco Bay Area with enough detail for the real owner to identify it — while holding back one verifying detail.

Helpful resources for San Francisco Bay Area

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in San Francisco Bay Area

found A

Gold Yamaha alto sax with case

Found a Yamaha alto sax this afternoon around 2:15pm outside the Ferry Building Marketplace along the Embarcadero in San Francisco, in the Bay Area. It’s a gold lacquer sax with a few small dings near the bell and a worn neck strap. The hard case is black with a white scuff on the front; inside lid there’s a tiny sailboat sticker. The bell is engraved with the initials 'L.H.' and there’s a dusty microfiber cloth tucked in the case. If this sounds like yours, we can meet up near Market Street or the Ferry Building to get it back to you.

San Francisco Bay Area 27 days ago

found A

Found: Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones

I found a pair of Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones this afternoon around 2:15pm. They were on a bench outside the Ferry Building Marketplace along the Embarcadero in San Francisco. They're matte black with soft leatherette ear cushions, and there’s a small scratch on the right earcup near the Sony logo. The gray hard case has a red interior lining, and the left earcup carries a tiny sticker with the initials 'AH'—a couple of distinguishing details that might help the owner identify them. If these belong to you, reply with a quick description of the scratches and the case details, and we can set up a pickup somewhere convenient in the Bay Area.

San Francisco Bay Area 2 months ago

found P

Black Samsonite suitcase with red zipper

I found a black Samsonite roller suitcase this afternoon around 2:45pm near the Ferry Building Marketplace along the Embarcadero in San Francisco. It's a large hard-shell piece, a bit scuffed on the corners, with a red zipper and a white luggage tag that has a handwritten name, 'Mina Cho,' plus a thin green ribbon tied to the handle. Inside, there are a couple of folded clothes and a travel-sized toiletries bag; nothing valuable, but it feels like it was recently used. I know how stressful losing a bag can be, so I’m hoping to reunite it with its owner. If this sounds like yours, drop a message here and we can arrange pickup.

San Francisco Bay Area 3 months ago

found P

Festive Christmas lights found near Ferry Building

I found a bundle of outdoor Christmas string lights this afternoon around 2:30 pm on the sidewalk by the Ferry Building Marketplace along the Embarcadero in San Francisco. It's about a 50-foot spool of multicolor lights, inside a black storage tote with a red lid. The top box is red-and-white striped and has a small Santa sticker, and a few bulbs look a little loose. I figured someone might be decorating for the holidays and may have dropped them, so I picked them up and am posting here. If these are yours, describe the tote and the Santa sticker to get them back.

San Francisco Bay Area 3 months ago

found L

Found navy tuxedo jacket with satin lapels

Found a navy tuxedo jacket yesterday around 4:15pm near Market Street and Powell, right outside the Apple Store by Union Square. It's a Hugo Boss tuxedo jacket, size 40L, with black satin peak lapels and a tailored, slim cut. The jacket is in good condition aside from a light crease from being carried in a garment bag; no visible damage. Inside the left breast pocket there's a white pocket square with a small red thread stitched along the edge, plus a care tag that reads 'HUGO BOSS' and initials 'K.M.' in the lining—easy to tell apart from other pieces. If you think this might be yours, I'm happy to coordinate a pickup near Union Square; I want to help get it back to its owner as soon as possible.

San Francisco Bay Area 4 months ago

found P

DeWalt 20V cordless drill found near Ferry Building

I found a DeWalt 20V cordless drill this afternoon around 3:15pm in the parking lot behind the Ferry Building Marketplace along the Embarcadero. It’s yellow and black, with a few scratches on the plastic housing and a dent in the chuck guard. It came with a grey hard case, and the battery has blue painter’s tape with the initials KT written on it. I’m hoping to return it to the owner, since a tool like this is expensive and easy to misplace.

San Francisco Bay Area 4 months ago