Lost Property

[jon0844]

I always try to give credit where credit is due, so don't know why I hadn't written this sooner (happened about two weeks ago).

I mislaid my BlackBerry and didn't have a clue where it had gone after 'noticing' by mid-afternoon that it wasn't on my desk!

Did I lose it on the way in, leave it at home or had someone nicked it from my desk? As the BB isn't my main phone, I couldn't recall having used it or remember when I last did (some days, I have it with me but never check it at all).

Anyway, by the time I got home, I realised that it was definitely gone and I was pretty sure I had looked at it on the way in, so looking around at home was pointless (still did, to no avail).

I figured it had fallen out of my coat pocket (with large pockets, it's easy for stuff to fall out) and I had to hope that someone might find it and call the number on the lock screen (my main mobile number) or email me. But, I was prepared to have to go and shell out for a new one at about £350 SIM-free!

Over the years I've found lots of things and either handed them in, or done some detective work and found the owner directly. I've had a bottle of nice wine from one person and nothing more than a 'cheers' from another - who made me wait around at King's Cross for them for about 30 minutes! No matter, I've always done the right thing and hoped the same would happen for me.

And two days after losing the phone, I got a voicemail from First Capital Connect lost property at City Thameslink to say they had my BlackBerry (I hadn't even thought it worth trying to call them!). I popped down the next day, handed over £10 to cover the courier cost to them, and walked away having faith restored that there are good and honest people out there.

What's more, they believed that it was the cleaning team that had found it and handed it in. So, all I can say is well done to all concerned because I will, sadly, never know who actually did find it.

Sorry for the long post, but I thought it was better than just saying 'I lost my phone and got it back'.

Does anyone else have any stories with happy (or unhappy) endings, including finding the rightful owners of property by yourself?

 

[Simon11]

I was working for Virgin Trains last year and travelling up to Stockport for a meeting. On the way back home, my wallet fell out my pocket

By the time I had tried to get into the office(Pass was in wallet) and got back the train had already left, so unable to check it.

Everyday I checked with lost property at Euston, but nothing Just about prepared to let the banks know when a Virgin Onboard train manager gives me a ring to say he's found it at Manchester (My Virgin Id was in the wallet)

He looked after it and brought it back to euston on his next time. I was so greatful. Just wish I brought him a little present/reward but shows there's lots of lovely people working in the railways

 

[OxtedL]

I left my phone on a train to Victoria once. My brother got a call from some random stranger who had found it (and called him rather than more obvious numbers in the phonebook but anyway), and said he would hand it in at East Croydon.

Still waiting to hear from a member of lost property staff about it 3 years later...

 

[Aictos]

I think the other time I managed to track down some lost property and got a offer of a free pint as a thank you, pity I was working at the time.

 

[Caped Crusader]

When I used to work on the platforms, we always used to try to contact someone asap before putting the items into the lost property system.
Had some great results, made some people very happy.

Apart from one passenger who was upset that we had opened his bag and accused us of stealing without even checking the contents. I had to explain to him that we had to open the bag, due to our own security proceedures, and that the contents were probably worth a lot less than my pension/travel benefits/future job prospects and that it was carried out in front of my colleague to cover us both. Still wasn't happy despite the fact we had rung him to tell him we had found it, no pleasing some people!

To be honest all I ever tried to do was re-unite people with their belongings, if you have a habit of leaving your laptop/briefcase behind, a card with a name and contact number in an obvious place would have saved a lot of grief!

Oh and I ruined someones Christmas by binning the massive Ham they left on the train, then rang 3 days later to see if we had it....

 

[jon0844]

I was told that I was the only person in the last year to have put contact details on the lock screen! Just as well, as on a BB you won't get to anything until it's unlocked - and who puts names/numbers on a SIM card these days?

 

[causton]

I had a cheap £10 phone (after putting my thumb through the screen of my old one - long story) and I was walking up to London Zoo after a quick bite to eat in Camden... my friend received a call.
They said, "it's for you?" and handed it to me.
"Hello, it's the station supervisor at Victoria"
"Hello?"
"Yes, we've got your phone here"
"Bloody hell, what's it doing there?"

Turned out that someone had handed it in and they had gone through my recently dialled until someone picked up... just happened to be the person walking next to me! What was more remarkable was the fact that this was about 20 minutes after I had left the station, and I didn't even realise I'd lost the phone quick detour running to Great Portland St station and getting the tube across to Victoria to pick it up!
I was amazed that someone would pick up that phone (especially as it was a really bad one, the sort that listed "3 changable wallpapers" on the box as a major feature) and hand it in!

 

[jon0844]

Sounds an Alcatel phone! I think they now consider the FM radio to be one of the exciting features now..!

 

[londonbridge]

Never found wallets,phones or similar,but I did find a stuffed toy dog sitting on the Tramlink ticket machine on platform 10 at Wimbledon! Handed it in to the guy in the SWT info booth,no idea whether the kid (presumably) who'd lost it got it back.