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

Helpful resources for Winston-Salem

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Winston-Salem

found A

Found: Photographs near Central Library, Winston-Salem

found: This morning around 11:40 AM, I found a small leather photo album and a stack of loose photographs tucked under a bench near the Central Library on West 5th Street in Winston-Salem. The images range from the 1950s to more recent snapshots: wedding portraits, family picnics, and a few candid smiles. Some backs are handwritten with names, which makes them feel deeply personal. I didn't want to keep them, so I've kept them safe and brought them to the library staff for safekeeping and posting here. If you recognize any face or place, this listing is a way to reconnect you with your memories.

near the Central Library steps, 660 W 5th St about 13 hours ago

found G

Found a box of holiday decorations near Benton Convention Center.

I was locking up my bike and heading home around 6:40 p.m. on Monday when I spotted a sturdy box of holiday decorations tucked beside the entrance to Winston-Salem's Benton Convention Center on North Trade Street. The tissue paper squeaked when a breeze blew, and the pine scent from the wrapping made me smile. I checked around and realized these weren't mine—they looked like a family’s festive setup, complete with garlands and a string of warm lights. I didn't see anyone nearby, so I left them on the cafe steps with a note describing where I found them, hoping the owner would recognize them when they return to downtown. It felt like a little Christmas miracle in the middle of my walk.

near the Benton Convention Center, downtown Winston-Salem 3 days ago

found P

Black Samsonite carry-on suitcase with red tag

Found a black Samsonite carry-on rolling suitcase this afternoon around 2:15 pm in the parking lot behind Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center on South Main Street, Winston-Salem. It's a hard-shell 22-inch model with a couple of light scratches and a small dent on the front corner. The outside has a bright red luggage tag with the name 'Lauren S.' and a blue lighthouse sticker on the inside lid. The navy-blue lining shows a few items peeking through, including a folded scarf and a charger cable. I’d love to help reunite it with its owner—if this is yours, share a couple of identifying details and we can meet up somewhere nearby.

Winston-Salem 3 months ago

found P

Found blue Yamaha snare drum behind Central Library

I found a blue Yamaha snare drum this afternoon around 4pm behind the Winston-Salem Central Library on West Fifth Street. It's a 14x6.5 inch model, blue lacquer with some scuffs and silver hardware. Inside the shell there's a small sticker with the initials 'LJ' and a faint dent near the rim. If you think it might be yours, describe the sticker and size and we can meet downtown to return it.

Winston-Salem 3 months ago

found P

Found 1TB external hard drive near Benton Convention Center

I found a slim silver external hard drive (1TB) on the sidewalk behind the Benton Convention Center in downtown Winston-Salem this morning around 9:15am. It's in a black fabric sleeve with a blue logo sticker on the back and a red USB-C cable still attached. The drive looks a bit dusty but otherwise intact, no cracks. There's a white sticker that reads 'Travel Tech' with a tiny cartoon rocket. I know how stressful it is to lose work files, so I'd love to get this back to its owner—if you're missing it, send me a message with any identifying details like the wallpaper or a specific file name to verify. We can arrange pickup near the Coffee Lab on 4th Street.

Winston-Salem 3 months ago

found P

Black leather briefcase found near Benton Convention Center

Found a black leather Samsonite briefcase this afternoon around 3:15pm behind the Benton Convention Center on West 5th Street, downtown Winston-Salem. It's medium-sized, with a few scuffs on the corners and a small scratch on the front; the interior lining is gray and holds a USB drive, a few papers, and a blue notepad with the initials 'LS' in ink. One distinctive feature is a red Samsonite tag on the zipper pull and a tiny dent on the bottom edge. If this belongs to you, please get in touch—I’d be happy to return it to its owner and I know how important a briefcase can be.

Winston-Salem 3 months ago