Lost items on trams donated to aid organizations

ISTANBUL

Unclaimed personal belongings found on trams and subways are donated to various institutions to be distributed to those in need, a senior official from the Turkish State Railways has said.

"We follow a specific process regarding lost belongings. When forgotten items are found by our train operators and security personnel, they are documented accordingly," stated Ömer Demirdirek, a top official in the directorate of the rail systems in the Central Anatolian province of Kayseri.

"We provide assistance to our passengers if they report their loss on the same day. If they make a report the following day, the lost items are sent to our central office. Here, we store them safely. We publish a list of these forgotten items on our official website. Citizens can check this list to retrieve their lost belongings," he added.

Noting that the same practice and procedure is implemented on every metro and tram service across the country, Demirdirek noted that items with significant monetary value are generally preserved by station managers for a period of three days.

After three months, they are donated to aid organizations, notably to Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) and the Turkish Red Crescent.

Pointing out that students and elderly individuals tend to forget their belongings most frequently on trams, adding that even parents might forget their children.

"Our students often forget their bags, books, pens, notebooks, wallets and especially their transit cards. The elderly, on the other hand, usually leave behind their canes and identification cards. Sometimes, families can inadvertently leave their children on the vehicle. In such cases, if citizens contact us promptly, we ensure the safe return of the children to their families."

Demirdirek also explained that they apply certain verification procedures to confirm the ownership of the lost items.

"For instance, if someone has lost their identification card, we ask them for certain details mentioned on the card. If it's a lost phone, we may pose more detailed questions, such as entering the password. Once we are completely convinced that the item belongs to them, we document the transfer of the belongings."