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

Helpful resources for Southern Illinois

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Southern Illinois

found A

FOUND: Equipment for Various Sports near Garden of the Gods

I found these around 3:20 p.m. Sunday near the Garden of the Gods parking area in Southern Illinois. The pile looked like a mixed bag of sports gear—several balls, a couple of pads, and a hoodie peeking out. It felt right to pick them up and keep them handy in case the owner sees this listing. Hopefully the owner recognizes their stuff and claims it through the site.

Garden of the Gods parking lot 6 days ago

found P

Black leather briefcase with red interior

I found a black leather briefcase this afternoon around 3pm in the parking lot behind the Varsity Center on Main Street in Carbondale, Southern Illinois. It’s a sturdy, satchel-style case about 16 inches wide with brass zippers and a small scuff on the lower corner. The inside lining is bright red, and there’s a laminated ID pocket with the initials 'A.S.' on a gold tag. I also spotted a USB drive and a handwritten note about upcoming deadlines tucked in the main compartment. I’d love to return it to its owner—hope it finds its way home soon.

Southern Illinois about 1 month ago

found D

GoPro HERO9 Black with suction mount

I found a GoPro HERO9 Black this afternoon around 1:45pm in the parking lot behind the Main Street Coffee Co. on Main Street in Carbondale, IL. It’s in a black protective case with a blue silicone sleeve, and there’s a small orange wrist strap attached to the mount. The camera has a few light scratches on the corner but powers up and shows a clean display. It came with a 64GB microSD card already inserted and a suction-cup mount. On the back of the case there’s a blue sticker with the initials AJ, which might help the owner recognize it. If it’s yours, please reach out and describe the sticker and the microSD card.

Southern Illinois about 1 month ago

found P

Korg microKORG synth with orange panel found

I found a black Korg microKORG synth with an orange front panel this afternoon around 3:15pm in the parking lot behind the SIU Student Center on University Avenue in Carbondale, Southern Illinois. It's in decent condition, a few fingerprints on the keys, and it's tucked into a weathered black gig bag with a red sticker of a cat on the side. There's a small handwritten tag on the bag that says 'For practice, please return', not sure if that's the owner's note, but it stood out. If you own it or know who it belongs to, please reach out; this is something the owner likely uses for gigs, and I'd want to help get it back.

Southern Illinois 3 months ago

found P

Gold-tone bracelet with heart charm and initials

I found a gold-tone bracelet this afternoon around 2:15pm in the parking lot behind the SIU Student Center on Lincoln Drive in Carbondale, Southern Illinois. It's about 7 inches long with a slim chain and a small heart charm engraved with the initials 'A.J.' and a tiny enamel blue flower near the clasp. The bracelet is in good condition with a light scratch on the back, and the lobster clasp still works smoothly. It looks like a keepsake, and I’d be happy to return it to its owner if the initials match or someone recognizes the piece.

Southern Illinois 3 months ago

found P

Black Bluetooth speaker with orange sticker

I found a small portable Bluetooth speaker this afternoon around 3:15pm behind the SIU Carbondale Student Center on University Avenue. It's a compact black speaker, about 3 inches tall, with a red fabric grille and a tiny dent on the top edge. There’s an orange sticker on the bottom that says '24A' in black marker, and one rubber foot is missing. I tested pairing with my phone and it connected fine, so I know it works. If this is yours, shoot me a quick message with an identifying detail and I’ll get it back to you.

Southern Illinois 3 months ago