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

Helpful resources for La Crosse

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in La Crosse

found M

Found a stack of old photographs.

I found a stack of photographs on a bench at Riverside Park around 4:15 pm yesterday. Most are black-and-white, likely from the 1960s, showing a family at a fair and a child on a red bicycle. The backs are scrawled with names I can barely read, and one edge is torn. I picked them up because they clearly mattered to someone, and I want to help them get back to the right hands.

near the Riverside Park gazebo 1 day ago

found G

Found Equipment for Various Sports in La Crosse

On Friday at 6:45 PM, I found a backpack containing items for multiple sports near Riverside Park in La Crosse. Inside were a basketball, a soccer ball, knee pads, cleats, and a rain jacket labeled with the name 'Coach'—a mixed bag clearly belonging to someone active. The gear looked recently used and in decent shape, and I figured the owner would want it back. If you’re missing these items, please leave a note on the site so we can connect the right person with their gear.

near Riverside Park 5 days ago

found P

Found violin in black case with blue bow ribbon

I found a full-size violin in a black soft-case this morning around 10:15am near the Market Street pedestrian bridge at Riverside Park along the La Crosse River. The violin has a warm amber finish with a few light scratches along the chin rest and a tiny scuff on the back. The bow hair looks good, but the frog has a bright blue ribbon tied around it, and there's a small sticker inside the lid—a cartoon sailboat with the name Maya written underneath. The case is a bit scuffed on the outside but all latches work. It feels like this instrument matters to someone who probably had a rehearsal or lesson—hope to get it back to its owner.

La Crosse about 1 month ago

found P

Black Samsonite suitcase found near Riverside Park

I found a black Samsonite hard-shell suitcase this afternoon around 3:30pm by the Riverside Park entrance on Market Street in La Crosse. It's large (27 inches) and shows a bit of wear on the corner, with four wheels and a TSA lock. There's a bright red luggage tag with the initials 'D.K.' on the handle, and a blue ribbon tied to the zipper pulls. A faded airline sticker on the back reads 'JFK'. If this belongs to you, DM me the initials on the tag or a detail about the contents to verify.

La Crosse 2 months ago

found P

Brown Fossil wallet found near Riverside Park

I found a brown Fossil bifold wallet this morning around 9:15am in the parking lot behind the La Crosse Public Library on Main Street, right by Riverside Park. It’s genuine distressed brown leather with a small brass Fossil logo plate on the front. Inside there are a couple of cards, a driver's license, and about $32 in cash. Unique bits: there’s a tiny crescent scratch on the bottom edge and a coffee stain on the inner lining, plus a tiny copper coin tucked in the coin pocket. If you’re the owner, drop me a message here and we’ll figure out how to get it back to you.

La Crosse 3 months ago

found P

Framed abstract landscape painting found near Riverside Park

I found a framed abstract landscape painting this morning around 8:10 am along the Riverwalk near the Cass Street Bridge by Riverside Park in La Crosse. It's a 12x16 inch print in a black wood frame with a slim gold inner edge. The painting features purples and blues with a splash of orange in the lower left corner. On the back there's a tiny 'Nova Art' sticker and a handwritten tag that says 'Property of Studio Maris'—I left it in place when I picked it up. There’s a faint coffee stain on the bottom mat that’s pretty distinctive. If the owner sees this, I can drop it off or meet up; I know how important art can be to someone, and I’d love to reunite it with its rightful home.

La Crosse 4 months ago