The Dane County Sheriff's Office posts Found Property, as defined in Wis Stats. 170, Wisconsin Legislature: Chapter 170.
Please use the button below to view Found Property currently being held by the Sheriff's Office.
If you believe any of the Found Property listed is yours, please contact the Evidence Coordinator at 608-284-6895.
If you are the "finder" of the property that was turned over to the Dane County Sheriff's Office and wish to claim the property if the owner is not found then you must complete the Found Property Claim Form and return it to the Dane County Sheriff's Office within 5 days of when you surrendered the property.
The Found Property Claim Form may be submitted online through the link provided below. It may also be printed, filled out and dropped off in person or sent via US Mail to the address below. If mailing the form it must be postmarked within 5 days of when you surrendered the property.
Found Property is handled pursuant to the authority of Chapter 170, Wis Stats. and will hold the property for a period of 90 days at which time it will then be treated as abandoned and treated under the authority of Wis Stat 66.0139.
170.07 Lost chattels, notice. Except as provided in ss. 170.05 and 170.12, if a person finds $25 or more or any goods having a value of at least $25 but less than $100, and if the owner of the money is unknown, the finder shall, within five (5) days after finding the money or goods, give a written notice (provided below) of the found money or goods to the law enforcement agency of the city, village or town in which the money or goods are found. That law enforcement agency shall post a notice of the found money or goods in two public places (i.e., on-line and lobby of agency) in the city, village, or town.
170.08 Notice and appraisal. Except as provided in ss. 170.105 and 170.12, the finder of lost goods having a value of $100 or more shall give a written notice of the found goods to the law enforcement agency of the city, village, or town in which the goods are found within 15 days after finding the goods and cause a class 2 notice under ch. 985 of the found goods to be published in the county.
170.09 Restitution. If the owner of lost money or goods appears within 90 days after notice is given to the law enforcement agency of the city, village or town under s. 170.07 or 170.08 and makes out his or her right to the money or goods, he or she shall have restitution of the money or goods or the value of the money or goods upon his or her paying all the costs and charges on the money or goods, including a reasonable compensation to the finder for the finder's trouble.
170.10 Disposition of found goods or money. If no owner of lost money or goods appears within 90 days after notice is given to the law enforcement agency of the city, village or town under s. 170.07 or 170.08, the finder of the money or goods shall be the owner of the lost money or goods.
