Lost and Found in Berlin's Urban Jungle
Ah, the countless stories that fill the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) lost and found office on Warschauer Straße! This year, they've welcomed over 50,000 items – a slight bump from the previous, presumably pandemic-stricken, year. According to a spokesperson, the increased numbers can be chalked up to the surge in commuters.
From caps and bags to the downright intriguing, the BVG's office has seen it all – with around half of those lost items being affiliated with bus travel. You know what they say: Between the subway station and your seat, memories tend to go AWOL (source unknown).
However, the number of lost items doesn't exactly spike in winters. But, there are seasonal trends – more keys and smartphones disappearing in the summer heat, while winter's chill keeps those scarves, hats, and gloves from drifting off into the ether. Bags and rucksacks stay as steadfast as ever, lurking in every corner of the lost and found office.
District counselor Matthias Steuckardt (CDU) echoes these findings. Though summer is rife with lost sunglasses, winter entices even more hats, scarves, and gloves to join the lost and found lineup.
Curious finds? Well, there's always the exception. From prosthetic legs to industrial-sized hammer drills, the BVG's lost and found office bears witness to an impressive array of odds and ends. But Matthias Steuckardt, ever the skeptic, emphasizes that what qualifies as "curious" is purely subjective. In his crew's experience, canes and walking frames have a habit of straying after concerts and events, stretching the term "curious" to its limits.
Only about twenty percent of lost and found items return to their rightful owners, and those that don't tend to find their way to the auction block.
More Berlin Stories that will keep you captivated:
Source:
Key Insights & Facts:
- Berlin's BVG lost and found office collects between 40,000 – 50,000 items every year, with about 20% of them being returned to their rightful owners.
- The most frequently lost items in public transportation include phones, wallets, keys, and bags.
- Notable curious finds include prosthetic limbs, construction machinery, and walking aids.
- While there isn't any specific data on the most commonly lost items in BVG's lost and found office, the general trend in lost items in public transportation suggests that personal belongings like keys, phones, and bags are the usual suspects, with the occasional prosthetic limb or construction machinery making an appearance.
