Police create Pinterest ‘lost-&-found’

Hey, aren’t those your lost keys? Is that your wallet?

The Dover Police Department has turned to Pinterest to create a modern-day lost-and-found.

The force’s Public Affairs Office on Monday launched a Pinterest page “in hopes of reuniting owners with unclaimed property,” Cpl. Mark Hoffman said.

“We just launched it today,” he said. “Within 10 minutes, someone tagged somebody for their wallet in one of the pictures.”

The first “pin” shows 32 found or recovered items, each with its own photo or “tile” that can be removed as items are returned to owners and replaced with other unclaimed goods.

Earlier, the department had no way to show items that were turned in to the department or recovered by officers as lost property, Hoffman said.

Some of the items were recovered as officers conducted criminal investigations, he said, adding, “We might catch a guy, they might have 10 women’s wallets, whatever, and we know they’re not all his.”

The department plans to add more on a continuing basis. “We’ve got a ton more,” Hoffman said, adding there are some items turned in to police after being found at the Firefly Music Festival or NASCAR events at Dover International Speedway.

Anyone who believes he or she is the owner of property pictured on the pin is asked to call Evidence Technician Dean Anderson, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays at (302) 736-7126 to schedule an appointment.

The evidence technician has authority to make a final determination if the person claiming an item is its rightful owner or a legal representative of the legal owner, Hoffman said.

As proof, owners will be asked to provide a receipt or box that an item came in with a matching serial number, to show they can log onto any electronic devices they are claiming with the correct user name and password, as well as proof of identity such as a driver’s license, social security card, birth certificate or other government-issued identification.

The technician also may require a utility bill, other forms of identification or proof of ownership. Requirements for claiming items also are posted on the pin at www.pinterest.com/doverpolicedepa/unclaimed-property/.

Hoffman got the idea of using Pinterest for a lost and found while attending a social media in law enforcement seminar in Phoenix in April.

After representatives of one department said they use Pinterest, Hoffman – who launched the force in social media with a Facebook page and Twitter account in October 2013 – asked, “What do you use Pinterest for?”

He said the officer replied, “We love it for unclaimed property.”

With this new social media platform, Hoffman said, “we’re also going to use it to put up some tips for summer safety, Halloween safety, Christmas safety, fire prevention, those kinds of things.”

Contact robin brown at (302) 324-2856 or rbrown@delawareonline.com. Find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @rbrowndelaware.