Found Someone Else's Item — What to Do and What Are Your Obligations
You found something — do the right thing
Finding someone else's lost item is a pivotal moment — you can be the reason for someone's happiness or sadness. If you're wondering what to do, keep reading.
Your legal obligation in BiH
According to the Law on Obligations of BiH, a person who finds a lost item is obligated to:
- Notify the owner if known, or
- Hand the item over to the competent authority (police, municipality) if the owner is unknown
Keeping a found item with the intent to appropriate it can be considered a criminal offense of misappropriation. This especially applies to valuable items such as wallets with cash, documents, and electronics.
What to do step by step
1. Post an ad on Nadjime.ba
This is the fastest and most effective step. Go to Nadjime.ba, select "Found" and describe the item you found — type of item, color, and location found. You don't need to specify all details (e.g., how much money is in the wallet) — the real owner will be able to describe the contents.
2. Don't browse sensitive content
If you found a wallet or bag, look only as much as necessary to identify the owner (e.g., ID card, contact). Browsing private contents may be a privacy violation.
3. Look for owner identification
Check if the item has:
- An ID card or other identification
- A business card with contact info
- A monogram, name, or inscription
- A phone — if unlocked, check for "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) contacts
4. If you can't identify the owner
Turn the item in to:
- Police station — especially for documents and wallets
- Information desk at a shopping mall or public institution where you found the item
- Driver or management staff on public transport
What happens to handed-in items
Police and local authorities keep found items for a certain period (usually 6-12 months). If the owner doesn't come forward, the item becomes state property or is sold at auction.
Finder's reward
By law, a finder who hands in an item has the right to compensation — usually up to 10% of the item's value — if the owner didn't want to give a reward voluntarily. However, in practice, this is rarely formally requested.
Why reporting matters
Every ad on Nadjime.ba in the "Found" category is a potential happy story. Documents in particular can be of enormous importance to the owner — losing an ID card or passport can cause serious problems. Your one ad can save someone weeks of trouble.