Kent Police will now refuse to take in lost property – telling taxpayers to turn to Facebook and Twitter instead.

As of next month, stations will turn away people who have recovered lost items such as wallets, jewellery and medicines.

The county’s force says reuniting lost goods with their owners is “not a police matter” any more.

Its decision has infuriated critics who say it “flies in the face of community spirit".

Spokesman Adam Westgarth confirmed the new policy will be adopted by Kent’s police stations in just a few weeks.

He said: “Lost property is not a police matter and from June, we will only accept recovered property which poses a risk to the public, such as identification, firearms and items believed to be associated with crime.”

The police website gives advice on what people should do if they have lost property themselves.

Tips include: “Try to retrace your steps and contact any premises you have visited to see if they have had this handed in.”

But for those who have found such items, the force recommends using social media.

Mr Westgarth said: “People who find lost property are advised to take reasonable steps to reunite it with its rightful owner, such as advertising its discovery on social media and putting posters up in the area it was found.”

The decision has been slammed by the Taxpayers' Alliance who claim this 'madness' flies in the face of good community spirit which the police should be encouraging.

Chief executive Jonathan Isaby said: “Taxpayers will be livid. Handing something - occasionally a very valuable something - into the police is a wonderful example of good-natured community spirit, and for the force to discourage that is madness.

“The police are the first port of call for people who have lost treasured items, and it will be devastating for individuals to know that a wedding ring or a wallet could have been handed in and reunited with them, but that officers refused to accept it.

“They should rethink this policy.”

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