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

Helpful resources for Lehigh Valley

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Lehigh Valley

found D

FOUND: two keyboards near PPL Center, Allentown

Hi, I’m Daniel Rivera. I found two keyboards under a bench outside the PPL Center in downtown Allentown around 5:40 p.m. today. They look like standard USB keyboards, one black and one gray, a little dusty from the rain. They must belong to someone who left them behind after a rehearsal or a meeting, so I’m posting here to help reunite them with their owner. I didn’t touch anything beyond moving them to a sheltered spot, and I kept an eye on them while I waited to post.

outside the PPL Center, downtown Allentown 4 days ago

found D

Found: Travel Bags in Lehigh Valley

I was walking by the Allentown Transportation Center on 7th Street around 9:45 this morning when I spotted two travel bags left next to a bench. One is a black rolling suitcase with a red tag, the other a gray duffel with a worn strap. They looked recently abandoned, so I picked them up and brought them to a safe spot while I posted here, hoping the owner would see this. It felt good to help someone out and I’d love to see the owner get their things back.

Sentimental

outside Allentown Transportation Center on 7th Street 6 days ago

found M

Found hamster duo near Allentown Public Library

It was around 6:15 p.m. on Friday when I was walking past the Allentown Public Library on Hamilton Street and heard faint squeaks from behind a bench. A small blue carrier sat there, and inside I found two hamsters peering out—one golden with white patches, the other gray with a stripe along the back. The cage was light, with a water bottle dangling and scattered sunflower seeds. It felt like someone’s pets had slipped away, and I could almost hear a panicked voice calling for them. I’m hoping to reconnect them with their people soon.

Outside Allentown Public Library, Hamilton Street 15 days ago

found A

Blue Nike swim trunks, size L, neon drawstring

I found a pair of men's blue Nike swimming trunks this afternoon around 3:15pm behind the Allentown Public Library parking lot on 7th Street in the Lehigh Valley. They're size L, bright royal blue with a neon lime drawstring and a white Nike swoosh on the left leg. The fabric shows light sun fade from the pool, but they're clean and dry now. On the belt loop is a small red silicone bead keychain—totally unique and easy to spot. If these are yours, drop me a message in the app and we can arrange pickup from the same spot.

Lehigh Valley 2 months ago

found P

Black leather briefcase with laptop sleeve

I found a black leather briefcase this afternoon around 2:15pm in the parking lot behind the Allentown Public Library on N 7th Street, here in the Lehigh Valley. It's a medium-sized case with a single zipper, a worn scuff on the front corner, and a padded laptop sleeve that fits a 15-inch laptop. Inside the main pocket there's a yellow Post-it with the initials 'A.R.' and a blue USB-C cable tucked next to a stack of business cards. There's a brass key tag on the outside handle engraved with 'BR' and a faint leather smell that still feels new. If you recognize it, I hope we can get it back to its owner soon.

Lehigh Valley 3 months ago

found P

Penguin Classics paperback found near Allentown library

I found a well-loved Penguin Classics paperback this afternoon around 3:15 pm outside the Allentown Public Library courtyard on N 7th Street. The book is a green-spined edition of Pride and Prejudice, with dog-eared corners and a small blue lighthouse sticker on the back cover. A few pages have blue highlights and a couple of quotes underlined in blue ink in the margins. It seems like someone cared for it and it's got that 'spent a lot of time with this one' feel. If this is yours, drop me a message here and we can figure out a meetup by the library steps.

Lehigh Valley 3 months ago