BVG Lost and Found: Excuse me, do you have my dentures?   

What a lot people don’t know: For over 70 years now, the BVG has provided its passengers with a service that stores and returns lost property found on the BVG’s public transport to their rightful owner. In the past, the BVG’s Lost Property Office was located on Potsdamer Straße and staffed by only eight employees. In 2018, the Lost and Found moved to its new, much larger premises on Rudolfstraße, right next to S+U Warschauer Straße. Over time, many changes have been made – in addition to the new location, the Lost and Found now works digitally and operates under stricter legal regulations than it did eight years ago. Electronic devices such as computers, smartphones, etc., may no longer be auctioned off and are destroyed after being stored for six weeks for data protection reasons.

The 14 employees receive bags full of found items three times a day from the underground, buses, and trams. The BVG is obligated to take in all items left behind, whether it’s a photo of a beloved cat, a single shoe, or dentures, and hand them over to the BVG Lost and Found. The police often drop items off as well (attention, burglars: the BVG’s lost & found is not a literal treasure chest, robbing it will not be worth your time!). The bags are then unpacked, the items are pre-sorted, and each item is entered into the database with a precise description and its identifiers. In addition to the police, the staff at the Lost and Found also work together with insurance companies, public authorities, waste disposal companies and the Ulrich Beier auction house. More on the latter in a moment.

The kind of stuff we find at the BVG Lost and Found:

In general, no perishable food is kept, as well as items that are heavily soiled and/or foul-smelling items or things that were obviously thrown away (e.g. car batteries). Otherwise, everything is kept for a maximum of six weeks. After that, all found items are dealt with in the following way: electronic devices, keys or credit cards are destroyed. Items of clothing, umbrellas, books, rucksacks, etc. are auctioned off once a quarter at the Ulrich Beier auction house. And don’t worry, ID’s and other personal documents are returned to the relevant issuing authorities.

The items handed in vary by season – when it rains, many umbrellas turn up. In winter, it’s boxes full of gloves and during holiday periods far fewer gym bags and handbags are found.

Some of the more curious items that have been forgotten at the BVG include walking aids, entire sofas, sex toys, glass eyes, dentures, and even prams.

If you think that our Lost and Found earns a lot from auctioning off lost property, then you’re mistaken. This is because the proceeds are stored in an account for three years, as the original owner may claim the proceeds of their lost property during this period. The finder’s fee will be paid out from this account too. The BVG and its Lost and Found staff aim to provide passengers with the opportunity to recover their valuables and are nationally one of the top services for lost property, second only to the DB Lost and Found.

Our employees are passionate about their job: it means a lot to them to be able to help people. Every single item they find is taken seriously, regardless of whether it is of material or emotional value. Grandma’s hand-knitted scarf is just as important as a businesswoman’s bulging wallet. The heart-warming reunions of lost treasured items more than make up for the visits from people who scream and spit in frustration because, unfortunately, the team couldn’t help them.

The Finder’s Fee

Finders often ask themselves whether they will receive a reward. The answer: Yes, finders are entitled to a finder’s fee from a value of 50 euros upwards. You can claim it up to three years after finding the item. So, honesty literally pays off.