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

Helpful resources for Monterey Bay

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Monterey Bay

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Found: Handheld and Console, Cannery Row

While walking along Cannery Row by the Monterey Bay Aquarium around 3:40 pm today, I spotted a handheld device and a small gaming console lying on the pavement near a bench. I picked them up and kept them together, hoping the owner would see this post. The devices look recently used and clearly important to someone; there’s a little scuff on the shell and a few stickers from happier days. I’ve kept them safe and untouched, hoping the owner will see this page and reclaim them.

Cannery Row near Monterey Bay Aquarium 5 days ago

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Found travel visas along Cannery Row, Monterey Bay

Hi, I’m Mia Carter. I found a stack of travel visas stuffed in a leather folder on a bench along Cannery Row near the Monterey Bay Aquarium around 11:15 this morning. The folder was wedged between two souvenir bags, and it clearly belonged to someone who’s about to start a big trip. I didn’t open anything more than to check that there wasn't a name visible, then I picked it up and brought it here so the owner could reclaim it. Please check the listings if you’re missing papers that could affect a journey, and I’ll keep it safe until the right person sees this post.

Sentimental

near the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row 11 days ago

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Found chairs near Fishermans Wharf Monterey Bay

Today around 5:30 PM I found a set of chairs leaning against a railing near Cannery Row by Fishermans Wharf in Monterey Bay. The chairs looked like they belonged to an outdoor gathering, with no name tag or marking I could spot. They were clean and sturdy, and I stood there thinking about someone who might be worried after the sunset. I left them where I found them so they would be easy to spot again.

Fishermans Wharf, Cannery Row 15 days ago

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Found USB-C Anker Power Supply

USB-C Anker Power Supply. Found near pico blanco Big Sur Area

Monterey Bay about 1 month ago

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Found sheet music near Fisherman's Wharf.

I was strolling along the Monterey Bay shoreline around 3:15 PM this past Sunday when I spotted a loose bundle of sheet music on a bench near Fisherman's Wharf. The cover is a worn blue with doodles and a few pencil annotations in the corner. A page is marked with "Recital Prep" and a date from a local music studio, so it clearly wasn't mine. The pages flutter in the sea breeze, and the handwriting looks heartfelt, as if the owner practices here after school. I tucked it away in my bag and posted this in the hope the owner will recognize the notes and claim them soon.

near Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey Bay 3 months ago

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Hand-painted ceramic vase with blue wave pattern

I found a hand-painted ceramic vase this afternoon around 1:45pm on Cannery Row, just outside the Monterey Bay Aquarium gift shop. It is about 10 inches tall, glossy white with a cobalt blue wave motif and a small gold leaf detail near the rim. There is a small chip on the rim and a faded signature on the bottom that reads 'M. Ito 2017'. It is in good condition overall, no cracks, and I picked it up because I thought someone might be worried about it. If you recognize it, please reach out—I would love to reunite it with its owner.

Monterey Bay 4 months ago