The Transport for London (TfL) lost and found property office deals with more than 200,000 items each year that are left behind on the Tube, London Buses, and the Overground. These forgotten possessions are cared for until their owner comes to collect them, with unclaimed items eventually being donated to charity, sold at auction to cover costs, or disposed of. Last year, a record-high number of items were found on the network, with over 298,000 items recovered, of which 17.7% were claimed by customers. The total value of last year’s lost and found haul was £199,136.
The most common items misplaced on the London transport network were wallets, purses, cash, keys, and mobile phones, with a large percentage of them never being reclaimed. Travel documents and cards were the most commonly lost item overall, with only 173 out of 35,336 being reclaimed. Despite the historic discoveries of items like umbrellas and bowler hats, the latest lost items now include phones, e-cigarettes, and designer handbags left behind by passengers. The Elizabeth line was the third most common service where items were left behind, with a total of 9,024 items misplaced.
The TfL lost property office has been operating for 91 years, helping to reunite passengers with their lost belongings. The process involves cataloguing and storing lost items, with efforts made to contact the owner if the item has identification. If items such as books and clothing are not collected within three months, they are given to charity or sold at auction to help cover operating costs. The office charges a small fee for reuniting items with their owners and encourages customers to take extra care of their belongings when traveling on the network. With so many items being handed in and never reclaimed, TfL encourages customers who have lost belongings to get in touch.
Last year saw a total of 373 bikes left behind on the TfL network, with only seven of them being reclaimed. London Buses had the highest number of items lost at 176,006, followed by the London Underground with 104,747 items. Despite the high number of items recovered each year, there is a significant portion that goes unclaimed, such as the case of a young girl being reunited with her lost teddy bear thanks to the efforts of the lost and found staff. The office works diligently to match lost items with customer inquiries and strives to return items to their rightful owners. Customers who have lost belongings are encouraged to contact the office for assistance.
