Lost and Found Property

We will always do our best to reunite people with lost possessions. However, if you have lost some property it may be that Lancashire Constabulary is not best placed to help you.

For instance, if you lost your property in any of the following locations you should contact the manager of the premises who should operate their own lost and found property register:

•     Licence premises (pubs, nightclubs)
•     Private premises (house, hotel, hostel)
•     Taxis
•     Public transport (trains, buses, trams)
•     Business premises (shops, supermarkets)
•     Educational premises (schools, universities, colleges)

Lancashire Constabulary does not take reports for items lost in these locations.

If you lost your property when you were outside of Lancashire you should contact the relevant police force to report the matter.

We also do not take reports for the following items of property:

• Driving licences - should be reported to the DVLA
• Passports - should be reported to the Passport Agency
• Bank Card - should be reported to the issuing bank/organisation
• Identity Card - should be reported to the issuing organisation
• Mobile Telephones - should be reported to your mobile network
• Blue Disabled Badges - should be reported to your local council
• Low Value Items - such as keys, clothing, old bicycles, spectacles and similar.

If you have lost something when you have been out and about, first try to re-trace your steps and contact any premises you have visited to see if the item has been found there. If this proves unsuccessful then complete the online form or contact us by telephone on 101.

I have lost my mobile phone, what should I do? 

If you lose your phone, you should contact your service provider as soon as possible to have your phone blocked. Contact details can be found on your mobile providers website.

Lancashire Constabulary does not take reports of lost mobile phones. If phones are handed in to the police, they are checked against the UK National Property Register to see if they can be reunited with their owner. If you have not already done so, you should register your phone to this database by visiting the Immobilise website, as it will increase the likelihood of your phone being returned to you if it is lost and handed in.

It’s free and easy to register but you will need your IMEI / serial number (a 15-digit number) which can be accessed by keying in *#06# into your phone, looking behind the battery of your phone, on the box that your phone came in, or by contacting your service provider.

If your insurance company request a lost property reference number, you can print off this letter to send to them which explains that Lancashire Constabulary do not issue lost property reference numbers for mobile phones.

Found Property

If you have found someone's property, your legal obligation is to try to reunite it with the owner. You could do this by putting up a notice near to where you found the item.

If you find identification documents such as a driving licence or passport, for security reasons you should send them back to the issuing authority. If you find a bankcard, please follow the instructions on the back of the card.

If you find an item in any of the areas below you should contact the manager of the premises to report the item as being found:

•     Licence premises (pubs, nightclubs)
•     Private premises (house, hotel, hostel)
•     Taxis
•     Public transport (trains, buses, trams)
•     Business premises (shops, supermarkets)
•     Educational premises (schools, universities, colleges)

If you find an item in a place other than those listed above, please report it using our online form.

If I report something to the police that I've found, can I keep it or do I hand it over to the police?

We will always inform you if an item has to be handed into to the police. After completing the online form we will send you a reply stating whether the item has to be brought into the police station.

You can only retain the item on the understanding that if the owner comes forward, you must give it back.

If the item is retained by the police, you may be able to claim you can collect the property if the owner is not identified within 28 days. There are certain items that members of the public are not allowed to retain and claim under any circumstances. These include mobile phones, computers, laptops, iPads and other tablets. If you find cash, you will not be able to keep hold of it, but will be able to claim it after 28 days.

Can I claim a mobile phone I found if it was not returned to the owner?

You can't claim a mobile phone that has been handed in to the police. The police can't give a mobile phone to the finder as it may contain personal data about the owner.