If you've lost or found property in a public place, please see the guidance below to find the best thing to do next.
Lost or found dogs
If you have lost or found a stray dog, please see Lost and Stray Dogs.
I have lost an item...
If you've lost an item, please backtrack to where you have been when you may have lost the property and contact staff at those places, e.g. the restaurant or bus or train company.
Once you have made these checks, please visit Essex Police for advice on what to do if you lose:
- mobile phone
- debit or credit card
- passport
- driving licence or government document
If your lost item is not listed above and it is unlikely that it could be returned to you unless a record of its loss exists, please Report Lost Property to Essex Police.
Essex Police do not accept a report of lost property where more than 21 days have elapsed since loss or where the loss occurred outside the Essex Police district.
I've lost a hazardous item
If you have lost an item which is hazardous, please call 999 now.
Examples of hazardous items include:
- firearms
- weapon ammunition
- poisons
- toxins or chemicals
I have found an item...
If you have found an item, please hand it over to the premises owner or public transport operator where it was found.
For the majority of found items there is no need to bring it into a police station - you can hold on to it and Report Found Property to Essex Police to let them know that you have found an item.
Items which must be surrendered to the Police
Some items must be surrendered to the police and cannot be retained:
- firearms
- explosive material
- knives/offensive weapons
- drugs/unidentified substances
- offensive material
- items believed to be used in or connected with a crime
- found passport/driving licence or other government documents
Get your message out there
If you've followed the above advice and you'd like to get the message out about a lost item or something that you've found, you may wish to let the local community know through the website/app MissingX.
- enter a description of the lost or found item
- add when and where it was lost or found
- upload a photo (optional)
Please note:
Brentwood Borough Council has no facilities for storing found items.
Brentwood Borough Council is not affiliated with MissingX and has no control over its content or repatriation of items.