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

Helpful resources for Eau Claire

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Eau Claire

found P

Found Seiko 5 watch with blue dial

I found a watch this afternoon around 2:15pm near the main entrance of Oakwood Mall on Mall Drive in Eau Claire. It's a silver-toned Seiko 5 automatic with a blue dial, white day/date window, and a black genuine leather strap. There's a tiny scratch on the lower right corner of the bezel and a faint mark on the crystal, but it's in decent condition overall. I figured someone might be searching for it after shopping, so I held onto it in case the owner recognizes the features. If this sounds like yours, reach out with details and I'll reunite it.

Eau Claire 22 days ago

found A

Oak coffee table with inlay found downtown Eau Claire

I found a solid oak coffee table this afternoon around 2:15 pm behind the Copper Mug Coffee Shop on Barstow Street in Eau Claire. It’s a rectangular table, about 48x22 inches, with a warm honey finish and a small shallow drawer with a brass knob. The top has a distinctive circular inlay pattern in the center and there’s a tiny chip on one leg plus a couple of light scratches along the edge—easy to spot. I tucked a green throw blanket over it to keep it safe and posted here in case the owner is looking. I really hope to reunite it with its owner; if you recognize it, describe the exact features and where you last had it to verify ownership.

Eau Claire 26 days ago

found P

Gray travel neck pillow with navy cover

I found a gray travel neck pillow this afternoon around 2:15pm outside the coffee shop on Barstow Street near the Eau Claire Transit Center. It’s memory-foam with a navy outer cover and a red zipper along the edge. There’s a small seam tear and a faint coffee stain on the fabric. A fabric loop near the zipper has a tiny yellow tag that reads 'KC'. It looks recently used, and I figured someone traveling might want it back sooner rather than later. If this is yours, tell me the color, the tag text, and roughly where you last used it to confirm.

Eau Claire about 1 month ago

found P

Blue travel guide found on Water Street

Found this blue paperback travel guide this afternoon around 2:45pm behind Riverfront Plaza on Water Street in Eau Claire. It's a 2019 edition of World on a Shoestring, with a folded map tucked in and a yellow bookmark sticking out on page 92. The cover has a small pencil-drawn pine tree on the back and a crinkled spine from frequent reading. It's in decent shape, just a bit worn from travel, and I figured someone might be missing it after a trip to Riverfront Park. If you think it's yours, email me at [email protected] and we can arrange a quick meetup.

Eau Claire about 1 month ago

found P

Sunburst 5-piece drum set found near Oakwood Mall

I found a sunburst 5-piece drum set this afternoon in the parking lot behind Oakwood Mall on Gateway Drive in Eau Claire. It’s a Pearl-style kit with a 22 inch bass drum, 10 inch and 12 inch rack toms, a 16 inch floor tom, plus a snare and throne; a stack of cymbals is tucked on top. There are stickers from a local high school drumline on the bass drum and blue painter’s tape with the initials 'J.T.' on the snare. The hardware has light scuffs but everything seems playable. I left it near the same spot and really hope the owner sees this so it can be returned—if you can describe the exact cymbal brands or the bass drum serial, that’ll help.

Eau Claire about 1 month ago

found D

Found set of keys near Abby Hill and Eddy Lane

found set of keys, abby hill and eddy lane. Ford key and other one. metal display item with id metal to get keys

Eau Claire about 2 months ago