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

Helpful resources for Los Angeles

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Los Angeles

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Found hats near Griffith Observatory, LA

I was out for a sunset jog in Griffith Park, around 6:15 PM, when I wandered into the Griffith Observatory parking lot and spotted a pile of hats left on a bench. A black baseball cap, a gray beanie, and a tan sunhat with a ribbon sat together as if waiting for someone to notice them. They looked cared for, not tossed, and I could tell someone probably realized they were missing after a long day. I checked for a name tag but found nothing that could help. I brought them to this site, hoping the owner will recognize them and reclaim what's theirs. It felt hopeful to think a small piece of someone’s daily routine could be returned to them.

Griffith Observatory parking lot, near the gift shop 2 days ago

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Found: Rabbits near Hollywood, Los Angeles

I was walking my dog along Melrose Avenue around 6:15 PM yesterday when I spotted a small wire crate sitting by a bus stop outside a coffee shop. Inside were two rabbits, calm but curious, their noses twitching as they sniffed the evening air. They looked well cared for, with fluffy fur and bright eyes, and they stayed close to each other as I picked them up. I brought them to the front counter of a nearby grocery store to wait for their owner, hoping someone recognizes the pair. If this helps, one has a small white patch on the ear and the other has a tiny black dot near its nose, and they both seem very attached to one another.

Near a coffee shop at Melrose Ave & La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles 22 days ago

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Lamps found in Downtown LA

I was walking back from a quick errand around 7:20 PM last Friday, near the Bradbury Building on Broadway, when I spotted a pair of lamps tucked behind a planter by the cafe entrance. They’re a matched set with brass stems and cream shades, a bit dusty but in good shape. It looked like they’d been moved from a living room to the street corner, maybe left behind in a hurry. I brought them home and held onto them, hoping the owner would recognize them. If these look familiar, I hope the owner can identify them by the distinctive shade edge and the weight of the brass.

near the Bradbury Building, Broadway 29 days ago

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Found postcards near Griffith Observatory overlook

I found a small stack of vintage postcards this past Saturday at 8:30 PM, tucked beneath a bench at the Griffith Observatory overlook. One card showed a sunset over the LA skyline, another had a faded photo of the Santa Monica Pier, and a third carried a handwritten note in a shaky script. They look like someone’s fond memories from a trip, perhaps kept as keepsakes for years. I’m not sure who they belong to, but they matter to someone, and I kept them safe in a tin in my glove box in case the owner sees this.

Griffith Observatory overlook 3 months ago

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Found blue LA employee ID badge near Grand Park, LA

I found this blue LA employee ID badge this afternoon around 2:15pm on the ground outside Grand Park, near the City Hall entrance on Grand Avenue. The badge is standard credit-card size, in a clear plastic sleeve, with a faint holographic city seal along the edge. The name printed on the card reads 'Priya Patel' and there's a small red sticker on the back with the word 'Staff' written in marker. It looks like it was used recently, and I can imagine how nerve-wracking it would be to misplace an ID. If this is yours, please message me so we can arrange a pickup near City Hall.

Los Angeles 4 months ago

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Silver bracelet with emerald charm found near The Grove

I found a silver bracelet this afternoon around 2:15 pm near the entrance to The Grove on Fairfax Avenue. It has a small emerald charm and a tiny dolphin charm attached, plus an inner engraving 'LJ' and '925' on the clasp. The bracelet is about 6 inches long, with light scuffs and a slightly worn link pattern from gentle use. I'm hoping to get it back to its owner—it's obviously meaningful to someone, and I'd feel better knowing I helped reunite it with them.

Los Angeles 4 months ago