Losing a laptop or book bag could seem like an endless search to nowhere, but don’t lose hope because Sinclair Community College offers lost and found services located in the main Police Office in Building 7, Room 112.
To retrieve anything lost or to turn in any item found, the office is available year round.
“We’re open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” Sinclair Police Chief Charles Gift said.
The lost and found is run by Sinclair Police, with the help of student officers and safety information officers.
For students who find any unattended items and would like to turn them in; find a police officer, student officer or safety information officer and they will take care of it. Students can also personally bring items to Building 7, Room 112.
“We hold items 90 days before discarding,” Gift said.
Gift explained that by state law, they need to get a court order to get rid of the items as well as a publication in both the Clarion and Dayton Daily News newspapers.
Gift said there are four things they do with property they receive, some of which they auction off to the Montgomery County auctioning site. To visit a live auction, go to govdeals.com.
If any items are contraband or junk, they destroy these items.
“If there’s one sock, we would consider that junk,” Gift said.
The collection of flash drives in the lost and found in an average 90-day period is roughly 300. Gift said they use unclaimed flash drives for the office as departmental use.
Useful items are given to charity.
“We give cell phones to [The Artemis Center],” Gift said.
The Artemis Center is a non-profit organization that helps victims of domestic violence. The charity refurbishes cell phones and gives them to people who need a way of contacting police in case of bad situations.
“Community is our middle name here at Sinclair,” Gift said.
He said they try everything they can to help out.
If the student looking for the lost item and is not available to go to the office, they can call into the dispatcher at 512-2700.
There is a short process that goes into identifying ownership of the item. Students must give a detailed description upon calling and may give a serial number, describe any identifying marks and if a password is needed to unlock the item they may give the correct password.
“If we get something with their identification on it, we’ll try to call or contact them to let them know,” Gift said.
He said the only items they don’t keep are Tartan Cards — those are given to the Registration Office. If a student goes to Registration to buy a new Tartan Card, the old card will be given back.
Gift said Tartan Cards are given to Registration because it is considered to be college property.
If any items are found in the library or any computer lab, IT support holds onto items for two weeks. The items considered of “no value” are donated to Montgomery County to help others. Items considered of value will be taken into the lost and found and will be held for up to 90 days. Items of value include wallets, phones, keys, flash drives, laptops and iPods.
Gift said it is important that students remember to watch their belongings.
“It’s important to [always] keep their property with them and under surveillance,” Gift said.