What is the appropriate term for an item that has been found and reported?

The term "found property" refers specifically to items that have been located by someone and subsequently reported to a relevant authority or entity, such as law enforcement. This terminology is crucial as it distinguishes these items from lost property, which are items that belong to another person but have not yet been located. When an item is classified as found property, it indicates that it is no longer in the possession of the original owner and has been reclaimed in a legal context.

In legal and inventory contexts, "found property" also establishes a clear framework for how such items should be handled, documented, and eventually returned to rightful owners, if possible. This terminology is widely recognized and used within law enforcement agencies and helps to standardize the process of dealing with items that are no longer with their original possessors.