541.265.4277

To claim found property, please bring photo ID to our office. Bring your notification letter, if you received one. Property will be released Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

If you would like someone else to pick up your property, we must receive an original notarized letter of authorization from you. If you are picking up property for a person who is currently incarcerated, that person must write a letter authorizing you to pick up his/her property, and it must be witnessed by a Corrections Officer at the jail, with the officer's name, badge number, and contact phone number.

If you have found property, please call the police as soon as possible. Found items may not always be lost items, but may actually have been stolen or involved in the commission of a crime which police may currently be investigating. Found property can be turned over to any of our Police Officers or brought to the Newport Police Department.

Due to lack of storage space, we are unable to accept found bicycles or other large items. Please see below for information on the Oregon Finders Law, and how to establish claim to found property.

Oregon Finders Law - PROPERTY FOUND BY PRIVATE CITIZENS (ORS 98.005)

Rights and duties of finder of money or goods -
(1) If any person finds money or goods valued at $250 or more, and if the owner of the money or goods is unknown, such person, within 10 days after the date of the finding, shall give notice of the finding in writing to the county clerk of the county in which the money or goods was found. Within 20 days after the date of the finding, the finder of the money or goods shall cause to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county a notice of the finding once each week for two consecutive weeks. Each such notice shall state the general description of the money or goods found, the name and address of the finder and final date before which such goods may be claimed.

(2) If no person appears and establishes ownership of the money or goods prior to the expiration of three months after the date of the notice to the county clerk under subsection (1) of this section, the finder shall be the owner of the money or goods.

LIABILITY OF NON-COMPLYING FINDER (ORS 98.015)
If any person who finds money or goods valued at $250.00 or more fails to comply with ORS 98.005, the person shall be liable upon conviction for violation of ORS 164.065, to the county for the money or goods or the full value of the money or goods.

RIGHTS OF OWNER (ORS 98.025)
If an owner of money or goods found by another person appears and establishes his claim to such money or goods within the time period prescribed by ORS 98.005, the owner shall have restitution of such money or goods or their value upon payment of all costs and charges incurred in the finding, giving of notice, care and custody of such money or goods.

Back to Records