Northumbria Police do not take reports of lost property and cannot issue a reference number. However, if the item you’ve lost is dangerous, hazardous or can cause harm, please contact us immediately.
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If you have lost an item of property, we recommend that you make reasonable enquiries in the area. If lost on public transport, we recommend you contact the operator. If you have lost the item in a shopping centre, pub, leisure centre etc., contact the premises directly.
We recommend registering your property for free at https://www.secureassetregister.com/en-gb it only takes a few minutes and could help you get your property back if it is lost or stolen. Don’t forget to upload photos for free too!
Passports and driving licences
If you are reporting a lost or stolen foreign national passport, please visit your local police station in person. Please check station opening times here before you attend.
Any other passports or driving licences should be reported directly to the Passport Office online or DVLA online.
Please note, if a passport or drivers licence is handed into the police station, they will be forwarded on to the DVLA or Passport Office. They will not be returned to members of the public for security measures.
Found property
If you have found 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. You may be able to keep the item you have found on the understanding that, if the owner comes forward, you must give it back.
If you find an item on private property, such as at a restaurant or business, you should hand it to staff as they should operate their own lost and found procedures.
There are certain items that you are not allowed to keep and claim under ANY circumstances. These include mobile phones, identification documents, weapons and war medals. If you find cash, you will not be able to keep hold of it but will be able to claim it after 28 days.
We will accept some found items, please visit an enquiry desk for advice or contact us on live chat. The types of items we may be able to help with include:
- an item with a serial number
- anything with a memory or storage function
- identifiable information such as personal documents
- money or valuable items
- bicycles
We recommend recording any lost or found property at https://www.secureassetregister.com/en-gb or Report my Loss.
If you’ve found a hazardous item, such as a firearm, explosive, poisons, toxins or chemicals, please call 999.
Seized Property
If you have had property seized by police and would like to query its return, you must contact and speak with the officer in charge directly. You can make contact with the officer using our Seized Property Update form.
FAQ
Northumbria Police do not issue reference numbers for lost property. You can obtain a lost property reference number if you report your lost phone at secureassetregister.com
You must contact the officer in charge of the case directly to discuss the return of the property. Usually the officer will arrange for a letter to be sent to your last known home address informing you to contact Northumbria Police to arrange a collection. This letter will usually contain a property reference number with details stating where to collect the property from.
