Lost & Found Services in Connecticut

Discover how to report or find lost items across major cities in Connecticut. We help you connect with local services, transportation hubs, and more.

Most Populated Cities in Connecticut

Hartford

Bridgeport

New Haven

Waterbury

Danbury

Norwich

How Lost & Found Works in Connecticut

Connecticut is one of the few states with a dedicated lost property statute still on the books. Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 859, Section 50-10, spells out exactly what a finder has to do: if you pick up an article worth a dollar or more, you are required to report it to the police department. That single sentence, unchanged for decades, is the backbone of how lost and found works across every city and town in the state.

From there, local police departments in Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Bridgeport and every other municipality carry out the actual holding, logging and, if nobody claims it, disposal of found items. Separately, Connecticut's Treasurer runs a much larger system for unclaimed financial property like old bank accounts and uncashed checks through CTBiglist.gov, but that program is not where your lost phone or backpack ends up. ReportLost is an independent service. A free report creates a public listing; paid options add public-web monitoring, and the $25 team-assisted option also includes relevant local outreach. Agencies and venues set their own filing and holding procedures.

What the Law Says in Connecticut

Duty to report (CGS § 50-10)

Anyone who finds and takes possession of an article worth one dollar or more is legally required to report the find to the police department. This is not optional courtesy, it is written into Chapter 859 of the state statutes, and it is the reason honest finders in Connecticut usually end up at a police station rather than keeping an item quietly.

Six month holding period

Once a police department receives a found article, Chapter 859 gives the original owner six months from that receipt date to come forward and claim it. If nobody claims it within that window, the department has two weeks after the deadline to move the property along, typically toward disposal or sale.

Larceny for keeping what you know isn't yours (CGS § 53a-119(4))

Connecticut's penal code folds lost and mislaid property directly into its larceny statute. Knowingly holding onto property you understand to be lost, mislaid, or delivered by mistake, instead of trying to return it or turning it in, can be charged as larceny, not just an ethical lapse.

State Treasurer's unclaimed property program

Separate from physical lost and found, Connecticut's Treasurer holds unclaimed financial property, old checks, dormant accounts and similar assets, through the CTBiglist.gov system, generally presumed abandoned after three or more years and payable within 90 days once a claim under CGS § 3-70a is verified. This is a different track from a lost wallet or phone, but it is worth checking if you are owed money you forgot about.

Local department and venue policies fill in the rest

Airports, transit agencies, stadiums and stores in Connecticut are not bound by Chapter 859's exact procedures, but they generally funnel found items to the nearest police department or their own lost and found desk, following the same spirit of holding items for the owner before disposing of them.

Where items end up in Connecticut

Lost items in Connecticut tend to surface at a handful of predictable places. Bradley International Airport near Hartford and Tweed New Haven Airport both run their own lost and found operations for anything left at security, gates or baggage claim. CTtransit buses, Metro-North Railroad and Shore Line East trains each have separate lost and found contacts, since a phone left on a New Haven line train does not go to the same office as one left on a Hartford city bus. Large venues like Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mohegan Sun, the XL Center and Yale's athletic facilities keep their own logs for items left behind by visitors. Outside of these transit and venue systems, most found property in Connecticut cities and towns is reported directly to the local police department under Section 50-10. The city pages below list local contacts. ReportLost is independent; its free public listing, six-month automatic monitoring and twelve-month team-assisted option are described on the report form.

Lost something in Connecticut?

A free report creates a public listing. The $12 option adds six months of automatic monitoring, a ReportLost certificate, an anonymous case address, and QR stickers. The $25 option adds manual research, direct service contact, report submission, local social sharing, and 12 months of monitoring.

Report my lost item →

Connecticut Lost & Found FAQ

What happens if I find something worth more than a dollar in Connecticut?

Under CGS § 50-10, you are required to report the find to the police department. This applies to any article valued at a dollar or more, which in practice covers almost everything from wallets and phones to jewelry.

How long does a Connecticut police department hold a found item before it moves on?

Chapter 859 gives the owner six months from the date the police department receives the item to come forward and claim it. If that period passes with no claim, the department has two weeks to dispose of the property.

Do I get my item back if someone turned it in?

Yes, but you have to prove it is yours. Departments typically ask for a private detail only the true owner would know, like a specific mark, a passcode, or the contents of a bag, before releasing the item to you.

Is a reward mandatory in Connecticut?

No. Offering a reward is always your choice, not a legal requirement under Connecticut law. Nothing in the statute obligates it.

Can I get in trouble for keeping something I found instead of reporting it?

Yes. Connecticut's larceny statute, CGS § 53a-119(4), specifically covers acquiring property you know to have been lost or mislaid and treats knowingly keeping it as a form of theft, separate from the finder's duty to report under Section 50-10.

This page provides general information about Connecticut law as of publication and is not legal advice. Procedures vary by city and department, verify details with your local authorities. Last reviewed: July 2026.

All Cities We Cover in Connecticut

Each city page lists the local lost & found contacts and how to report a loss there.