Transport for London says passengers will be reunited with items lost on the Tube or buses more quickly after opening a new lost property office.
The office, which for decades was based in Baker Street, has moved to a location beside West Ham bus garage from a temporary base in South Kensington.
The move coincides with the 90th anniversary of the creation of the Lost Property Office on October 30.
A total of 210,363 items were found in 2021/22, the most recent year for which figures are available. This included 34,593 bags, 46,015 “books, documents and cards” and 26,215 phones.
Some 33,726 items were reclaimed from the place they were lost, and 13,812 from the Lost Property Office – 6.6 per cent of the total.
Items returned to owners by the office in 2021/22 included 5,820 wallets, purses or cash, 1,693 rucksacks, 1,367 phones, 112 suitcases, 19 cameras, 18 books and nine shoes, either single or a pair.
Seventeen sex toys were found on buses, the Tube or the London Overground in 2022 – three on their own and 14 in bags with other items. Two were reclaimed.
Diana Quaye, performance manager at TfL’s Lost Property Office, said: “The smile on customers’ faces when they are reunited with something they thought was gone forever will never get old, and I am constantly reminded of how honest Londoners are when they hand in items they find.
“Rather than give up hope and think your property is gone forever, I always advise people to report their lost items on our website because you never know, we just may have it.”
Recently, a young girl was reunited with her teddy bear that had been lost on the Jubilee line. Staff at the office traced the teddy using a photograph and information supplied by the girl.
She told staff that she could now sleep well at night after her teddy – which was found at St John’s Wood - was back with her.
Most items lost in 2021/22 – 128,707 – were found on buses. A total of 72,026 were found on the Tube, and 1,096 in taxis.
None of the 4,380 umbrellas that made it to the office were reclaimed.
It cost TfL £1.1m to run the Lost Property Office in 2022/23. It is the largest such facility in Europe.
Items which remain unclaimed after three months become the property of TfL and are donated to charity, recycled, disposed of, or sold.
An “admin fee” is charged on items recovered from the Lost Property Office.
Property found in taxis is subject to an additional fee based on the value of the item. This award is given directly to the driver in recognition of their actions.
Revenue generated from unclaimed items contributes towards the cost of running the Lost Property Office.
TfL says that the nature of items lost has changed over the years, from bowler hats and umbrellas in the 1930s to mobile phones, designer handbags and e-cigarettes today.
It does not keep lighters, e-cigarettes, foodstuffs, soiled clothing, highly flammable substances or other items that may be hazardous to store.
Debit and credit cards are securely destroyed rather than being retained. Cash can be claimed for up to a year after loss.
