The forgotten items in the Lost Property Office brought a smile to my face

It is astonishing to see the items forgotten by citizens on public transportation vehicles in Bursa. Items left behind are kept for a year and then donated to various associations.

Thousands of items have been forgotten by passengers using BURULAŞ-operated metro, sea buses, trams, intercity and local buses. Among the forgotten items are engagement dresses, dentures, crutches, wireless headphones, cell phones, and hundreds of other items. Lost items left at Osmangazi Metro Station Lost Property Office are kept for one year for their owners to come and collect. If the items, which have a legal waiting period of one year, are not claimed by their owners, they are donated to various associations to reach those in need.

Lost items are kept for 1 year
Lost items are kept for a year in accordance with legal requirements, stated Lost Property Officer Hava Çetin, ‘Items found on all transportation vehicles operated by BURULAŞ are collected at the lost property office located at Osmangazi metro station. Items left behind on metro, buses, BUDO, and BBBUS are brought to our lost property office daily, weekly, and monthly. The items received are classified and stored in cabinets based on their dates and characteristics. Passengers who have lost items contact us in person, by phone, or by email. When passengers describe the item, if we have it, we deliver it,’ she said.

Engagement dresses, beanbag chairs, and more forgotten
Although forgotten items vary seasonally, Çetin mentioned that sometimes very interesting items can be forgotten, ‘During the school season, we mostly receive children’s clothing. In summer, we get a lot of hats, and in rainy weather, we get a lot of umbrellas. In winter, we receive scarves and beanies. Valuable jewelry, watches, cell phones, wallets, and IDs come to our lost property office, and we keep them. I’m no longer surprised by any of this. Engagement dresses, wedding dresses, mannequins, and paintings come. Recently, a sewing machine and a beanbag chair arrived. Citizens can forget things absentmindedly. We keep them for a year. Citizens can reach out and come to collect their items. Any item that has exceeded the waiting period and has not been claimed by the owner is always assessed. We make donations to specific institutions and municipalities,’ she said.