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

Helpful resources for South Coast

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in South Coast

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Found chargers near Fort Taber Park, New Bedford

While walking along the South Coast today around 4:30 pm, I found a bundle of chargers tucked under a bench near Fort Taber Park in New Bedford. The cords include blue and black USB-C and micro-USB cables, with a distinctive red tag on one adapter. It looked like they were dropped recently, so I picked them up and left them in a safe spot by the park entrance for the owner to claim on the site.

Near Fort Taber Park, New Bedford waterfront 5 days ago

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Found passports near New Bedford Public Library

I was walking back from the harbor toward the New Bedford Public Library on 2nd Street around 3:20 p.m. on Tuesday when I spotted passports lying on a bench by the entrance. They looked like they belonged to a traveler, with a few travel stamps peeking from a wallet and a crease across one page. I picked them up and held onto them, hoping the owner would see this post and recognize them soon. These papers are essential, and I can imagine the stress of misplacing them in a busy South Coast day—please let the site connect the owner with me.

Sentimental

outside the New Bedford Public Library on 2nd Street 18 days ago

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Black leather handbag found near South Coast boardwalk

I found a black leather handbag this afternoon around 2:15pm near the Seabreeze Café on Oceanview Street, South Coast. It's a medium Michael Kors tote with a gold-tone zipper and a small enamel whale charm on the zipper pull. Inside, there's a bright red scarf peeking out of the main compartment and a receipt from a local boutique dated last week. The bag smells like vanilla and shows light wear on the bottom corner. If you're the owner, please reach out with a distinguishing detail and I'll arrange to return it.

South Coast about 1 month ago

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Gray canvas messenger bag with orange lining found

I found a gray canvas messenger bag this morning around 9:30am behind Oceanview Market on Shoreline Avenue in South Coast. It’s a medium-sized bag with a bright orange lining that’s visible when you open the main zipper. Inside there’s a small notebook with blue ink doodles, a pineapple sticker on the zipper pull, and a few personal items like a photo ID tucked at the bottom. The bag seems lightly used and in good condition overall. If this sounds like yours, drop me a note with a detail from inside and we can arrange a pickup near the ferry terminal.

South Coast about 2 months ago

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Teal paperback of The Night Circus—light wear

I found a teal paperback of 'The Night Circus' this afternoon near the South Coast Public Library on Oceanview Avenue, by the stairs outside Beachside Cafe. It's a softcover edition, about 350 pages, with a glossy teal cover and a coffee ring on the back. The spine has a little wear and the corners are a bit creased, but it's in decent shape overall. Inside, there's a folded library receipt and a tiny doodle of a lighthouse on page 12—pretty distinctive. If this is yours, please reach out so I can get it back to you.

South Coast 4 months ago

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Framed coastal watercolor, blue-gold hues

I found this framed coastal watercolor this afternoon around 4:20pm near the South Coast Promenade by the Seaside Market. It's a 16x20 inch piece in a black wood frame with a small nick on the lower edge. The painting features soft blues and sandy beiges with a gentle wave motif, and a tiny signature in the lower right that reads 'M. Rivera 2018'. On the back there's a label from Ashore Studio and a shipping sticker with 'South Coast'—it would be great to return it to its owner if you recognize it.

South Coast 4 months ago