My excuses first. Finished work at 23:00 last night.
Up at 5:00 to catch a train home at 6:30. Hotel is 10 miles from the station so taxi picks me up at 6:00.
Catch the first train to Edinburgh, then to London, then HS1 to Ashford.
13:20. I get off the train, I have my laptop bag but not my suitcase!
Arrrrgh. Its got my black shoes, a newish coat, my suit, a silk tie, some nice work shirts, tie, four of my favorite t-shirts, a couple of casual shirts and a couple of jumpers and a couple of chargers.
Reported right away but no trace and you can't speak to the lost property office - communication is by web page or call center only, so I am in their hands.
I could really do with getting it back as the T-Shirt maker doesn't make them anymore - and the cost to replace the lot has got to be about £850 - of course I need to check if the house insurance will cover it - but it will be as used for clothes I guess, even though the policy is "new for old".
What are the odds on getting the case back I wonder?
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You may be lucky. In these days of heightened security a member of staff will have found it if is where you left it.
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It normally takes a while to get to the lost property office, perhaps a day or so, so don't lose hope! If the train you left it on doesn't go directly to the station where the lost property office is, it will need to be shuffled across trains until it gets there. At least that's how it used to work. I don't know at what stage it gets logged in as a found item.
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I feel your pain. My suitcase went missing between T2 Heathrow and Hanoi. It wasn't the sheer quantity of kit that was in it, it was the things like tee-shirts, my Leatherman, a hugely comprehensive first aid kit and other miscellaneous of bits - my insurance company would have covered me.
It turned up a week later at my hotel at Sapa (near the Chinese border) I was so glad to see it when it arrived..
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Luggage gone missing - several times.
Luggage lost permanently - not yet.....
I really don't know how so much luggage ends up in the those auction places. With all those tags on them and frequently indentification information inside, why can the owner not be traced?
Anyway I hope you get it back soon.
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Years ago I arrived back at car after leaving work early to go and run some errands for my Mother. For some reason I left the Brompton's pannier on the ground instead of putting it in car with the bike.
It was found and handed in, probably by the security guard who used to take his fag breaks on the car park. Twenty four hours later it was still in the inquiry office at Northampton station - was waiting for some sort of internal transit system to take it to lost property in Birmingham.
On two other occasions a wallet almost certainly fell from my pocket on a Virgin train and I left a Creative MP3 player under a paper on a London Midland train. Never saw either item again.
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The case will have been blown up and zippy will be getting a visit from the Funnies.
Last edited by: Robin O'Reliant on Fri 16 Aug 19 at 17:13
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A mate of mine left his £1,500 Nikon DSLR on a train between Luton Airport and London last year, and got it back. It was handed in back at Luton Airport, so he opted to go back there to retrieve it rather than risk having it sent on. The bit that amazed me was that the train company waived his fare for the return trip from London to retrieve it.
Much as it might not seem it, there are still some good people (and companies) out there. I know from a personal perspective, I wouldn't sleep at night if I came across a valuable item (or significant sum of cash) and didn't hand it in.
Last edited by: DP on Fri 16 Aug 19 at 17:25
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>> Much as it might not seem it, there are still some good people (and companies)
>> out there. I know from a personal perspective, I wouldn't sleep at night if I
>> came across a valuable item (or significant sum of cash) and didn't hand it in.
>>
Yes there are!
Twice on long train journeys recently someone has been taken ill and when the call goes out for assistance, off duty paramedics, nurses, doctors and first aiders all rush to help. Even yesterday on the Edinburgh to London train a young lady left her two kids with her partner and rushed to help a lady that had fainted when the call went out.
My daughter, now a junior Doctor, has done the same, helping two young women who had heart attacks. Both whilst still at uni, one in a park (on drugs) and was ably and gratefully assisted by to young squaddies and another on a train (what is it with trains) where she and two nurses kept pumping away until the patient could be transferred to an ambulance at the next station.
On another occasion a a crowd had gathered to help a suicidal young man off the edge of a cliff where she was running.
I am sure we all have similar stories and it does give us faith in humanity.
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I handed in a wallet I found to the local plod office last year. It had over ten quid in it and no identity. Was told it was mine if not collected in a month. Went to collect 'my' tenner after five weeks, to be told it had been moved to another location. This went on for weeks, with it apparently being moved from location to location. The day after I requested it to be raised as a complaint, it was 'found'.
Guess what I'd do in a similar scenario?
Found a wallet on a train in London, as it was pulling out of a station. The ID inside gave a unique identity. Facebook located some 'friends', but not the owner. After a few days I was able to contact the owner, who told me they'd cancelled the cards, but were extremely grateful I'd found it. I think it may have cost them more than the cash inside to retrieve it!
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I handed in a new iPhone (model just released) that I found on the beach in 2014 to a passing policeman.
Person must have been gutted to lose it.
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>>Guess what I'd do in a similar scenario?
Hopefully not sink to their level.
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I don't think I've had much that I've lost handed in. I remember leaving a digital camera on a restaurant table in vegas about 10 years ago, went back after about 15 when I realised it was missing. Disappeared into thin air no one had seen it.
Once found a wallet in a pub, just handed it to the manager.
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I always think that it pays to be honest and there is an offence of stealing by finding so keeping something you have found is against the law, however tempting.
I have handed in various items. I found a wallet once in the mid 70's and handed it in at the local police station. It was not claimed and had around £20 in it which was a weeks wages in those days so it was a bonus when I collected it.
I once found a white stick in the local High St outside a shop and asking around there was no obvious owner so I decided to take it to the police station. I got a few curious looks when climbing into the driving seat of my car carrying it.
At the station the desk copper got his lost and found book out and saw it had been reported as lost earlier in the day. I later got a very nice letter from the owner thanking me for handing it in.
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>> I once found a white stick in the local High St outside a shop and
>> asking around there was no obvious owner so I decided to take it to the
>> police station. I got a few curious looks when climbing into the driving seat of
>> my car carrying it.
>>
>> At the station the desk copper got his lost and found book out and saw
>> it had been reported as lost earlier in the day. I later got a very
>> nice letter from the owner thanking me for handing it in.
How did you manage to find a police station that was still open?
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Norfolk police will only accept the following items and only if they were found on public property so no white sticks, wooden legs bunches of keys etc. Stuff found in private property is of no concern.
Drugs
Firearms
High value items
Laptops & cameras
Mobile phones
Cash
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Sat 17 Aug 19 at 09:07
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>> Norfolk police will only accept the following items and only if they were found on
>> public property so no white sticks, wooden legs bunches of keys etc. Stuff found in
>> private property is of no concern.
>>
>> Drugs
>> Firearms
>> High value items
>> Laptops & cameras
>> Mobile phones
>> Cash
What are you supposed to do if you, say move into a house and you find one or more of the items? Just take them to the tip? Not sure there's a drugs/firearms bin?
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>> What are you supposed to do if you, say move into a house and you find one or more of the items?
>> Just take them to the tip? Not sure.....
>>
Just be careful.
A few years ago my then immediate boss moved house and found a black sack in the loft
It appeared to contain a tatty artificial Christmas tree so of it went to the tip.
Later... " Can we have our Christmas tree back that we left in the loft ?"
The judge awarded the claimants £200 and said not enough effort was taken in attempting to return the item to the owner,
The tree was apparently a special expensive one from the USA so they said.
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>> >> What are you supposed to do if you, say move into a house and
>> you find one or more of the items?
>> >> Just take them to the tip? Not sure.....
>> >>
>> Just be careful.
>>
Wow!
I thought everything left in the house became the property of the new owners!
Previous owner here left a lot of bits and bobs, including a wine fridge and a decent sofa in the den.
Goodness knows where he has gone though - totally disappeared and we return to sender a lot of mail still received.
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>> Previous owner here left a lot of bits and bobs, including a wine fridge and
>> a decent sofa in the den.
I too thought stuff left on vacation of property might reasonably be regarded as abandoned.
Some years ago now I cleared out loft my Mother's house in Leeds after living 100+ miles from my sis and I got too much for her and she bought a flat in Leicester. I found, partially concealed by insulation, a stash of seventies porn mags. Presumably property of a previous occupier or his teenage son.
Dumped them at tip. Didn't tell Mum.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sat 17 Aug 19 at 14:10
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Same here - random items including a "Frozen" DVD a nice flat screen telly in the den etc etc.
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The white stick was in the 80's Duncan in Reigate Surrey.
But the station is still there and still open as is my local copshop in Horsham where I went to report a very valuable (over £ 1400 ) gold ring with a lot of sentimental value which I lost last year. They were very helpful and checked their books of found items but it has never turned up. Insurance coughed up but I would rather have the ring back.
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I am sure we all have similar stories and it does give us faith in humanity.
My niece was out clubbing with her friends (all doctors at various stages) when a man collapsed in the street outside and knocked his head, she rendered assistance (as the most sober one there) until the ambulance arrived. " It's OK love" the paramedic said "the professionals are here now" - in fairness they gave her a lift to her accommodation on the way to the Hospital...
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I'll always hand in valuable finds if I can't trace the owner. I remember as a kid my old man lost his pay packet one evening on the way home from work. He went back to a local shop he'd been in to see if he'd dropped it there but no joy. Later that evening there was a knock on the door and an elderly couple were outside returning his wages. They'd picked it up on the street and went into a few shops to see if they knew anyone of that name and were directed to us by the shop keeper.
That was in the days when a weeks wages lasted from Friday to Thursday with not a penny left and we'd have been in real trouble without them. I have never forgotten that, particularly as the couple who returned it didn't look like they had a pot to P in themselves.
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>>A pot to...
That’s exactly why we should all do the right thing! We never know the true circumstances of others.
Last edited by: zippy on Sat 17 Aug 19 at 12:53
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I was nicked for speeding in around 87 (also probably my speed plus a bit) on the M6 on the way to the Isle of Man to the races. I was given the option of a FPT or a Summons. I chose the former, took my wallet out to surrender my licence. Stuffed it in the pocket of my leather jacket. Arrivedin Douglas to find I'd lost it. Wrote it off effectively.
It turned up at my parents' address a couple of weeks later complete with all the cash, I was most surprised.
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Last week I had a knock on the door.
A kind passer by said " Is that your dog resting on the front lawn?"
I teathered the well cared for calm elderly dog.
A call to the vet at the end of the road to report the situation followed shorty by the owner calling the vet.
One now happy owner arrived here a few minutes later and all were happy.
When still at school we kids were kicking a ball around when joined by to us a large friendly dog.
Deducing it had possibly escaped we caught it and added a length of rope to it.
To our surprise off it went with directional purpose towing us along. It insisted, so we crossed the busy A316 and on we went to be met by a grateful owner. A reward made our day.
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>>
>> we crossed the busy A316
Where did you live then?
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>> Where did you live then?
>>
Near the Lord Kilmorey Mausoleum and therefore between the Thames and the Crane.
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>>That’s exactly why we should all do the right thing! We never know the true circumstances of
>>others.
Replying to my own message....
I knew a totally respectable couple. Really nice wife (who remains a friend of ours), nice kids, two cars, double garage, top of the range executive home, lovely holidays.
Then they divorced. He had an affair and it was the final straw for her and it turned out had others as well.
Apparently she used to hide behind furniture if she couldn't get out of the house when the husband got in to frequent rages and yet he was always the charmer and people would always ask after his well being!
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I new a situation like that once. Gutless b****** when eventually faced with his behavior.
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Oh, it's another one of my long tedious and barely relevant anecdotes. Hurrah.
I was cutting the front grass last week. A lady walked by, and picked up a set of keys from the pavement. They belonged to the local estate agent. They appeared to be the main keys to the office - and had their tag on them. Didn't seem very sensible, but that's their choice.
She gave them to me to take round there (only a few yards away, she was going the other way etc). I put them in my pocket to finish cutting the grass first.
Couple of minutes later a panic stricken woman was wandering about looking for something. Aha, I thought, knight in shining armour time.
"Estate agent?" I said. "Lost your keys?"
The look on her face of relief and ebbing anxiety was a delight to see.
"No problem. Here you go!"
I fished out the key and the look on her face went to crushed horror and disappointment. I thought she was going to cry.
I looked down to discover I was happily offering her the key to my own front door.
Oh, well, found the right ones in the depth of my pockets, under the apple cores, ginger biscuit crumbs and a catapult, and took it all as a hint. We have now had the house valued by them and may well go on the market, as the price they suggested was vastly more than I'd expected.
Although in fact, I don't actually believe them and have asked another local agent for a valuation too, to check it.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Sun 18 Aug 19 at 08:57
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You gave her a memorable lesson in security...!
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There was a well known estate agent in the area in which we used to live (South Northants). The house would be valued by an experienced, mature, highly credible partner who said all the right things about market trends and demand, the attractiveness of the property and the buyers they already had on their books who were actively looking etc etc. Once the contract was signed you never saw him again and dealt with the nice but dim receptionist. Then in came all the reasons why the house was too highly priced and the need to be more realistic etc etc. With estate agents of course it is all about getting the listing.
We were caught in this way and it seems talking to friends and neighbours this was a well established practice of theirs. Nowadays with more substantial internet resources it is easier to do your own research and check their suggestions.
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As a young teenager I once found a wallet that contained a load of Green shield stamps, a few receipts and just short of £500, and a note that said "remember Gulls quills"! ???. I handed it in at a local Police station and forgot about it, several weeks later I received a note telling me it had not been claimed and that it was mine to collect. When did so, and opened it every thing was still in it...... except the £500, now try an tell me there's no bent coppers!! ;-)
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I lost my wallet in TGI Fridays in Austin. It contained my drivers license, credit cards, social security card, car and medical insurance and about $1000 in cash. One of the staff found it and returned it the next day. I gave him $200 as a thank-you.
A couple of years later my wife had her wallet stolen in TGI Piccadilly Circus. It was such a common occurence that the manager had the phone numbers of all the credit card fraud departments pinned to the wall of his office.
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>>When did so, and opened it every thing was still in it...... except the £500,
It is normal process to itemise the contents, did they not do so? I handed a handbag in the Reading Police Station and they itemised all items of value.
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>> thing was still in it...... except the £500, now try an tell me there's no
>> bent coppers!! ;-)
Of course there are bent coppers, or even bent civvies dealing with lost property.
Very different to ACAB and bent too......
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>>ACAB
I tend to take as I find and would say that I have run in to some great "coppers". Also, there are some that should not be in the service and should have been drummed out years ago.
That's the same in all walks of life, but unfortunately crooked coppers can really impact someones life.
I can't find the link, but there was a program on convicted people who were freed on appeal and one was an armed robber. The detective got a black balaclava and wiped it over the face of the arrested man. The detective later admitted as much.
You then have the "coppers" who assisted the suicidal guy that my eldest came across recently and who also clear up messes, accidents, crimes and all. We wouldn't do without them.
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Got a phone call last week whilst I was in Dublin.
The case had been found and returned to London Canon Street station.
I went to town today to pick it up and melted on the train.
It was my case - identified by my name on an Epipen.
Really chuffed with South Eastern.
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Excellent and the honesty of any third party involved.
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A refreshingly good outcome
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Well yesterday I found a card wallet in the street with 4 bank cards ,rail card ,oyster card plus driving licence and various shop cards and a ten pound note.
Driving licence gave me an address only half a mile away so popped around but nobody at home.Left a note with my phone number and advised if it was not claimed would be taken to Police station.
No phone contact details but the young ladys name was unusual enough to identify easily on facebook. A facebook message to her with my phone number got a swift response from a very relieved lady who was in Worthing, 20 miles away.
I am dropping it off to her this afternoon.
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It is always better to give than to receive; the feeling is much warmer.
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"It is always better to give than to receive; the feeling is much warmer. "
I am sure BBD can give some of advice for you on dropping in on a young lady...………...
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I do not need advice from BBD. ;0)
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"I do not need advice from BBD. ;0)"
Of course not, you will have had a good neb at the photo on the driving licence ;-)
I hope you enjoyed Miloš's concert last night? Or ...... were you still busy returning the wallet to its owner?
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Excellent Milos concert last night Haywain...Row C centre exactly facing him. He had an excellent string quintet accompanying him.
My sadness was that SWMBO , my dear wife of 45 years was laid to rest last month after suffering a massive heart attack so she never got to see him perform live....
I took my son instead with other friends.
Libertango by Milos was played at her funeral, when he played it last night I was pretty close to tears I have to admit.
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And the young lady is coming to mine now
to collect her wallet..with her Dad before you make any insinuations....
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Wallet collected tonight and I was offered a £10 reward and a box of Quality Street .
I declined the money and accepted the choccies.
Very pretty young lady of Filipino descent I think....If I was 50 years younger I might have tried my luck.
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The quintet was the same set-up that we saw on Thursday evening; my favourite piece was the duet that he played with the violinist. My wife was ill that evening, and my son had to come on as substitute.
I recall you saying, several years ago, that your wife was very keen to see Miloš and I am so, so sorry to learn that she has passed away; I offer you my condolences. I know from experience that losing someone so close, after a sudden heart-attack, is like a hammer-blow to your chest.
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Thank you for your kind words Haywain , I never expected to outlive her as I was three years older.Sometimes life just kicks you down but you have to get on with it.
She really wanted to see him perform live but as you know the concert was cancelled twice due to the Milos hand problem and he referred to last night as ' third time lucky'.
The duet with the violin player was good but I enjoyed every piece they played from Bach to the Beatles.
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My condolences, helicopter.
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Very sorry to read your news helicopter. I know that if my Wife went first she would want me to keep moving forward, so I do admire that you made it to the concert.
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Sympathy, Helicopter. I hope you find a way not only to carry on, but to enjoy the life you have.
Last edited by: Manatee on Sun 6 Oct 19 at 18:00
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Condolences Helicopter, you never get over it but you learn to live with it.
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Sad news, the good memories will see you through.
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Helicopter...tough times. As you may remember I lost my first wife ten years ago, not easy is it.
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Indeed RP. I have good days and bad at the moment .
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Hope that soon the good days outnumber the bad.
Best wishes
Last edited by: neiltoo on Mon 7 Oct 19 at 10:43
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So sorry to hear that helicopter; best wishes to you and your family.
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It's difficult to find adequate words, Helicopter, but I hope you find whatever it takes to move on and find a new life. Things will of course never be the same again, but perhaps will fall into perspective eventually. I am very sorry to hear of a loss that must be hard to bear.
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Helicopter, I wish I could say something to make it better. All I can say is that if the 45 years hadn't been so good, then it wouldn't be so hard now.
Do your best, keep going, enjoy the memories.
My deepest sympathy,
Mark.
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Thank you Mark and all above for your kind words.
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Only just read this H. Best wishes from me.
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So sorry to hear that news helicopter.
Take care & best wishes from the Y Dales
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Carp Damn and Blast It - Netsur
