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

Helpful resources for Wausau

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Wausau

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Found radios near Grand Theater, downtown Wausau.

This afternoon around 2:15 PM I found a pair of radios on the sidewalk near the Grand Theater in downtown Wausau. They’re vintage, with wood-grain cabinets; one has a brass tuning dial and the other a teal face plate. I picked them up thinking someone might be missing them, and I’ve kept them safe since. They clearly belong together, and I’d like to help reunite them with their owner. If you’re missing a couple old radios, the website will connect us.

Grand Theater, Market St, downtown Wausau 3 days ago

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Found: brooches near Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum

I was leaving the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum at 4:15 pm on a chilly Thursday when a handful of brooches spilled onto the sidewalk by the museum steps. They were loose in a small velvet pouch, some with pearls and others with delicate gold filigree, all glittering in the late-day light. I scooped them up and kept them safe in my tote, thinking how someone must be missing these treasures. I walked toward Grand Avenue and kept an eye out for someone calling, but no one appeared. If these belong to you, a quick description should help us reunite them through the site.

Near Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, downtown Wausau 5 days ago

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Found travel adapters in Wausau

While walking through downtown Wausau this morning around 9:15, I found travel adapters on the sidewalk near the Grand Avenue transit center. The compact set looks used and includes US, EU, and USB adapters tangled in a small blue pouch. I figured someone would be missing these, so I am posting this as a found item in hopes the owner sees it here and claims it through the site.

near Grand Avenue transit center, Wausau 19 days ago

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Violin in a black hard case found near Grand Theatre

Found a violin in a black hard-shell case this morning around 9:15am near the Grand Theatre entrance on Grand Avenue, downtown Wausau, just off the Riverwalk parking lot. It's a 4/4 student violin with a warm sunburst finish and a few tiny nicks on the chin rest, and the case sports a light front scuff. Inside the lid there's a sticker from Wausau Music School and a name tag reading 'A. Kim' on the lining, plus the bow has a red ribbon tied around the frog. If this is yours, the sticker and the name tag should help confirm ownership, and I’d be really glad to get it back to you.

Wausau about 1 month ago

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Found blue inhaler and medical kit near Riverside Park

I found a blue inhaler and a small medical kit this afternoon around 3:15 pm outside the Walgreens on Grand Avenue, just steps from Riverside Park in Wausau. The inhaler is a standard blue device with a clear cap, and the accompanying kit is a compact black zip pouch with a red cross sticker and a few labeled inner pockets. There’s a small dent on the metal clip of the pouch and a faint sticker with the initials 'L.H.' inside the flap. I’m keeping it safe here for now because I know how important this kind of stuff can be for someone who relies on it, and I’d be happy to help get it back to its owner.

Wausau about 2 months ago

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Found gray dwarf hamster near Grand Theatre, Wausau

Found a tiny gray dwarf hamster this afternoon around 3:15pm behind the Grand Theatre on Grand Avenue in downtown Wausau. It was shivering under a hedge, eyes bright, with soft fur, a white belly, and a tiny crescent scar behind its left ear. It’s about 2 inches long and has a small white patch on its rump—a little feature that might help its owner recognize it. I’m hoping to help this little guy get home soon; pets like him can get scared quick out on the street. If you’re missing a hamster, shoot me a message and we’ll figure out how to get him back to you.

Wausau 3 months ago