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Getting Around: Lost & Found

JANUARY 26, 2010

A recent NY Times/AP story involving a New York City cabbie who returned $21,000 worth of cash and jewelry that been left in a cab by an elderly Italian visitor was a reminder—albeit one with a happy ending—of how easy it is to part company with our many possessions while navigating the city’s streets.

If you leave something behind in any of the city’s over 37,000 licensed taxicabs—or if you find something left by someone else, you can check-in here to file a report. Taxi drivers are required by law to return found property or bring it to a designated police precinct. If you lose or find something in a private hired car, you need to contact the same car service company.

For items left on the subway or on city buses, the MTA Lost Property Unit is the place to go. The Transit Authority has recently upgraded their lost property services to enable people to use the web to track down lost possessions. Customers inquiring about their lost property will receive a reference number and a notification through email if there is a possible match and be able to make follow-up inquiries. For customers who want to visit the Lost Property Unit, it is located on the lower mezzanine level of the 34th Street Station on the Eighth Avenue Line.