Lost & Found Services in Indiana

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

Most Populated Cities in Indiana

Indianapolis

Fort Wayne

South Bend

Evansville

Lafayette

Elkhart

How Lost & Found Works in Indiana

Indiana does not hand every lost item to one clean statute the way a few states do. Instead the state splits the job three ways. Indiana State Police have their own code section for property that comes into an officer's hands as stolen, lost, or abandoned. Property connected to a criminal case follows a separate evidence statute with its own hold and destruction timeline. And anything that turns into unclaimed cash, deposits, or business-held funds falls under Indiana's Unclaimed Property Act, run out of the Attorney General's office, not the police department down the street.

For everyday items, a dropped phone at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, a bag left on an IndyGo bus, Indiana leans on old-fashioned common law duty to return plus whatever policy the individual police department, airport, or venue has posted, and Indiana courts have even ruled that simply taking money someone else lost is not automatically a crime under the state's theft statute. 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 Indiana

Delivery of Stolen, Lost, and Abandoned Property (IC 10-11-5-2)

When money, goods, or other property that has been stolen, lost, or abandoned comes into the possession of an Indiana State Police employee, this section governs what happens to it next. It is the closest thing Indiana has to a dedicated state lost and found statute, but it applies to ISP custody, not to every city or county department, which each set their own intake and hold procedures.

Property Held as Evidence (IC 35-33-5-5)

Property connected to a criminal investigation follows a different timeline. Once the case concludes, the statute allows for disposition after ninety days, and property whose possession is unlawful can be destroyed sixty days after that. This is why an item recovered during a police report or investigation may take longer to get back than something simply turned in at a front desk.

Unclaimed Property Act (IC 32-34-1.5)

Indiana's Unclaimed Property Division, run through the Attorney General's office at indianaunclaimed.gov, handles property held by businesses, banks, and other holders once it goes dormant. Holders must send due diligence mailings on property valued at fifty dollars or more, and unclaimed funds can be held by the state for years before they are considered permanently unclaimed. This track is mostly about money and accounts, not a dropped wallet or backpack.

Theft Statute and Case Law (IC 35-43-4-2)

Indiana's general theft statute makes it a Class A misdemeanor to knowingly exert unauthorized control over someone else's property, but the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled in 2020 that simply taking money that was lost or mislaid is not automatically a crime under this statute. Indiana has not enacted a separate 'theft of lost or mislaid property' offense the way some other states have, so intent and circumstances matter a great deal in how a finder's conduct is treated.

Local Department Found Property Policies

Below the state statutes, day to day lost and found work in Indiana runs through individual department policy. Westfield Police Department, for example, maintains its own found property list and requires callers to verify details by phone before pickup. Other cities, campuses, and transit agencies each keep their own logs, hold periods, and verification steps.

Where items end up in Indiana

Lost items in Indiana tend to land with whoever was running the place you were in. Indianapolis International Airport, South Bend International Airport, Fort Wayne International Airport, and Evansville Regional Airport each keep their own lost and found desks separate from airline counters. IndyGo handles transit-related lost items in Indianapolis, while Indianapolis Metropolitan Police, county sheriffs, and smaller city departments like Westfield or Carmel each maintain their own found property intake. Large venues such as Lucas Oil Stadium, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Indiana State Fairgrounds, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway typically hold items found on site before anything reaches a police department. 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 Indiana?

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.

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Indiana Lost & Found FAQ

What happens if no one claims my lost item in Indiana?

It depends on who is holding it. Property in Indiana State Police custody follows IC 10-11-5-2, evidence property follows the ninety day and sixty day timeline in IC 35-33-5-5, and money or accounts held by businesses can escheat to the state's Unclaimed Property Division after a dormancy period. Ordinary found items, like a phone or a jacket, are usually handled under whatever hold period the local department or venue sets on its own.

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

Yes, but you will need to prove it is yours. Departments and the Unclaimed Property Division both require identification, and for physical items you will typically also be asked for one private verification detail, such as a case color, a lock screen photo, or a serial number, that only the true owner would know before they release it to you.

Is a reward mandatory in Indiana?

No. Indiana law does not require a reward for returning lost property. Offering one is always your choice, and plenty of items are returned in Indiana with no reward involved at all.

Does Indiana have a specific lost and found statute?

Not one single law covering every situation. Indiana State Police custody is covered by IC 10-11-5-2, evidence property by IC 35-33-5-5, and business-held unclaimed funds by the Unclaimed Property Act, but day to day found items at airports, transit agencies, and venues are governed by each department's own policy rather than one statewide lost and found statute.

Is keeping a found item against the law in Indiana?

It can be, but Indiana's theft statute is narrower here than in some states. Courts have held that simply taking money that was lost or mislaid is not automatically a crime under IC 35-43-4-2, though knowingly keeping an item after learning who owns it can still expose you to theft charges or civil liability depending on the facts, so turning it in to the local department is the safest move.

This page provides general information about Indiana 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 Indiana

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