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 Parkersburg-Marietta? 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 Parkersburg-Marietta; 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 Parkersburg-Marietta with enough detail for the real owner to identify it — while holding back one verifying detail.

Helpful resources for Parkersburg-Marietta

Nextdoor
Reach neighbors to return a found item

Recent reports in Parkersburg-Marietta

found A

FOUND: Student ID near Parkersburg City Park.

I found a Student ID on the Riverfront Trail near Parkersburg City Park in Parkersburg-Marietta, West Virginia, United States around 4:15 PM on Saturday. My heart sank a little—it's a personal card and could hold someone else’s clearance and class access. I tucked it safely into my jacket and posted here so the owner can claim it through the site. I hope this helps the rightful student get back what's theirs, especially after a long day of classes.

near Parkersburg City Park 2 days ago

found A

Found olive-green zip pouch with trinkets

I found a small olive-green zip pouch this morning around 9:45am in the parking lot behind the Parkersburg Art Center on Market Street. It's about 4 inches long, with a faded floral print on the zipper pull and a tiny dent in the metal clasp. Inside there's a silver compass keychain, a crumpled Sunset Café receipt, and a photo tucked under the lining of a dog wearing a red collar. There's a sticker on the inside that says 'Sunset Café' and the note 'Lila' written on the back of the photo. If this belongs to you, DM me here and we’ll set up a pickup.

Parkersburg-Marietta 30 days ago

found P

Blue plush dragon with rainbow wings found near City Park

I found a small blue plush dragon this morning around 11:15am near the City Park playground off Fourth Street in Parkersburg-Marietta. It’s about 8 inches tall, made of soft blue fleece with a rainbow mane and tiny orange wings. It's a kid-friendly plush dragon, a perfect toy for a young child. There’s a bright green tag stitched on the belly that reads 'Stellar,' and the right wing has a tiny seam nick from a playful tumble. It looks well-loved but still in good condition. If this belongs to your kid, tell me the tag color and the dragon’s name and I’ll reunite you right there at City Park.

Parkersburg-Marietta about 1 month ago

found P

Blue paperback found near Point Park riverfront

I found a blue paperback this afternoon around 3:15pm along Market Street by Point Park and the riverfront trail behind the Parkersburg Art Center. It's a well-worn copy of The Night Circus with a teal cover, about 400 pages, and the spine is creased from a lot of reading. Inside, there's a faded Parkersburg Public Library stamp on the first page and a pink sticky note that says 'For Sarah' scribbled in the margin—little personal touches that felt like it mattered to someone. The back cover has a small coffee ring, and the pages are slightly foxed, giving it that beloved, lived-in look. I figured someone might be missing it after a walk along the river, so I’m posting here with the hope we can reunite it with its owner.

Parkersburg-Marietta about 2 months ago

found P

Silver bracelet with heart charm found near Camden Clark

I found a silver bracelet this afternoon behind Camden Clark Medical Center on Garfield Avenue in Parkersburg, part of the Parkersburg-Marietta area along the Ohio River. It's a slender 7-inch silver-tone bracelet with a tiny heart charm and a second small star charm dangling from one end. The heart charm is engraved with a faint initial 'A', which is one of the identifying features that might help the owner recognize it. The bracelet is in good condition with only minor scratches from wear. If this looks like yours, drop me a note and we can arrange a safe hand-off, perhaps at the Camden Clark lobby or in the hospital parking lot.

Parkersburg-Marietta about 2 months ago

found P

Silver-tone charm bracelet with pink heart charm

I found a silver-tone charm bracelet this afternoon around 4:15pm along the Riverfront Trail near Riverside Park in the Parkersburg-Marietta area. It's in decent condition, a bit dusty from the walk along the water, and has a pink enamel heart charm plus a tiny silver key charm. The clasp is engraved with the initials 'A.L.' and there are a few other tiny charms that look sentimental rather than fancy. It seems like it could mean a lot to someone, and I’d really like to get it back to its owner—if you think this might be yours, reply with a distinguishing detail to verify.

Parkersburg-Marietta 2 months ago