Left something behind in Chicago? Report it and start the search.
File one report and we'll point you to the right Chicago Police district, the relevant CTA, airport and rideshare lost & found, and the local groups that actually get items returned.
🔍Recently reported lost items in Chicago – updated this July 18, 2026
- 📍 Scarf and gloves lost near Western Avenue, July 16.
- 📍 Umbrella lost near How to Read a Plant Label, July 14.
- 📍 Earring lost near Flight Forms, July 15.
How ReportLost helps you recover it in Chicago
1. Tell us what & where
A quick description of the item and the spot you lost it is all we need to get started.
2. We match it to the right desk
CTA, an airport office, the Chicago Police district for that block, and the busiest local groups.
3. We alert you on a match
When your item surfaces, you hear about it and can arrange to pick it up.
From the 'L' platforms downtown to the lakefront and the neighborhoods, Chicago is a big, busy city where a phone, a wallet, a bag — or a pet — can slip away in a moment. The city runs several lost-and-found systems, but they don't talk to each other, so the trick is starting with the right one. Report it here and we'll send you to the correct channel and the police district that covers where it happened.
On the CTA, at O'Hare or Midway, in a rideshare, or at a Loop restaurant — the sooner you report, the better your odds. Several offices hold items for only a few weeks before moving them on.
Where to report — depending on where you lost it
Each part of Chicago's lost-and-found network handles different places. Start with the right one and you save days.
CTA bus or 'L' train (and Metra)
Report your item to the CTA online or through the Ventra app. Left it on a Metra commuter train? That's a separate lost-and-found — use Metra's form instead.
Rideshare or taxi
Uber and Lyft both have an in-app "I lost an item" option that connects you to your driver. For a metered cab, phone the company with your trip time and route. We help you pull those details together.
Turned in to the police (CPD)
Recovered property is held by the CPD's Evidence & Recovered Property Section. Bring your inventory receipt and a photo ID. Heads up: you generally have 30 days to claim it before it can be disposed of.
O'Hare or Midway
O'Hare's Lost & Found is in Terminal 2 (lower level); Midway has its own Communication Center. Security-checkpoint items go through TSA, and anything left on the plane or at the gate is handled by your airline.
Street, park, shop or venue
Ask the front desk or security first — stadiums, museums, hotels and Union Station keep their own lost & found. For anything lost outdoors, a public alert on Chicago groups is often what brings it back.
Lost pet (dog, cat, other)
Watch the Chicago Animal Care & Control listings on petharbor.com/chicago, text LOST to 1-855-LOST312 for step-by-step help, and post to Petco Love Lost. A microchip is the single best way to be reunited — keep yours up to date.
The clock is ticking — report it today
Chicago offices clear unclaimed items on tight timelines. Get your report in the system now.
Report my lost item →Which Chicago neighborhood did you lose it in?
Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, each with its own transit stops, police district and hotspots. Pinning down the area speeds everything up.
The Loop & River North
Downtown offices, Millennium Park, Union Station and the busiest CTA transfers. Rush-hour crowds mean plenty of phones and wallets left on the 'L'.
North Side (Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wrigleyville)
Game days at Wrigley, lakefront paths and a dense bar scene — check the venue first, then CTA Lost & Found.
Wicker Park & Logan Square
The Blue Line to O'Hare runs through here, so items lost on the way to the airport often turn up on this corridor.
South Side (Hyde Park, Bronzeville)
The University of Chicago, Metra Electric and the Museum of Science and Industry. Campus and museum desks keep their own lost & found.
West Loop & Pilsen
Restaurant Row, the United Center and a growing transit hub. Venues and rideshares are the first places to check.
Get more eyes on it across Chicago's communities
A returned item usually comes from a helpful stranger, not an office. We help you write a clean, shareable post and aim it at the most active Chicago communities:
Neighborhood & “Chicago Lost & Found” groups
r/chicago, r/AskChicago
Your block — especially useful for pets
Tag the CTA line, station or venue
Local lost-pet & community pages
UChicago, Loop offices, residential
Chicago lost & found — quick answers
Where do I report an item left on a CTA bus or 'L' train?
Submit a lost-item report to CTA online (via transitchicago.com/lostandfound), through the Ventra app, or by contacting Customer Service. If it happened on a Metra commuter train instead, use Metra's separate lost-and-found.
Does the Chicago Police Department keep lost property?
Recovered property is handled by the CPD's Evidence & Recovered Property Section (1011 S. Homan Ave). If your inventory receipt says the item is available for return, bring it with a photo ID. Claim it within 30 days — after that it can be sold, donated or destroyed under city code.
I lost something at O'Hare or Midway.
For O'Hare, contact the airport Lost & Found (Terminal 2, lower level). For Midway, call the Communication Center. Items left at a TSA checkpoint go through TSA, and anything left on the plane or at the gate is handled by your airline.
What about an Uber, Lyft or taxi?
Open the app's lost-item help to reach your driver (Uber and Lyft both offer this). For a metered cab, call the taxi company with your pickup time and route.
My pet went missing in Chicago — what's the first step?
Check the Chicago Animal Care & Control listings (petharbor.com/chicago), text LOST to 1-855-LOST312 for guidance, and post to Petco Love Lost. Have any shelter or vet scan for a microchip and keep your registration current.
Is ReportLost.org an official city service?
No — we're independent. We help you reach the correct official channels quickly and spread the word across local communities. The official lost-and-found offices are the ones that hold and release recovered items.
Lost & found in nearby cities
Ready to track it down?
One report reaches every channel that matters in Chicago.
Start my report →ReportLost.org is an independent service and is not affiliated with the CTA, the Chicago Police Department, the Chicago Department of Aviation, Chicago Animal Care & Control or the City of Chicago. Official lost-and-found offices retain and release found property.