LIRR lost and found audit finds items have a low return rate, MTA inspector general says

The lost and found systems for the LIRR and city buses and subways need serious upgrades, according to a pair of audits by the MTA inspector general.

More than half of lost items on the Long Island Rail Road were not returned and more than 80% of lost belongings on city buses and subways did not make it to New York City Transit's Lost Property Unit, the audits found.

The inspector general's audits of the LIRR and the Lost Property Unit recommended changes to improve efficiency, to better record lost items and to better reunite those belongings with customers.

On the LIRR, inspector general staff reported 19 items to train personnel they said they "found" on trains or at stations. Only nine of those items were able to be recovered.

Only one item from subways and buses — a keychain with an email address — was reunited with inspector general staff after it and 23 other items were handed over as "lost" to transit workers. The belongings included jewelry, books and clothing and 20 of the 24 items never even arrived at the Lost Property Unit or were recorded in the lost and found database, according to the audit.

"Our field tests revealed clear lapses in these lost and found systems, particularly at NYC Transit," Metropolitan Transportation Authority Inspector General Daniel Cort said in a statement. "Riders should have faith that their lost property is being handled responsibly and with care, and MTA agencies must have effective protocols in place to return those items."

The inspector general's office did not have a total value for the lost items used in the field tests, but said they were of "nominal value."

In a Thursday afternoon email, MTA spokesperson Laura Cala-Rauch said: "The LIRR is committed to ensuring the best customer experience, including the safekeeping of all lost personal items. We’ve accepted the Inspector General’s recommendations and will implement changes to how lost items are tracked, stored and returned to customers."

Regarding New York City Transit, in the email, Cala-Rauch added: "We’ve closely reviewed the Inspector General’s recommendations and will continue to ensure efficiency and accountability at transit Lost and Found facilities."

The inspector general made five recommendations for the LIRR and nine recommendations to NYC Transit for better processes to secure lost valuables and reunite them with their original owners. 

The LIRR recommendations include distributing a policy for what lost and found items need to be logged (earphones, ID cards, credit cards, keys, eyeglasses, etc.), better staff training, instituting technical improvements, and strengthening the chain of custody for lost property.

The LIRR’s lost and found office at Penn Station handled more than 14,000 lost items last year, according to the report. The audit studied lost items found outside Penn Station and managed by the lost and found office.

New York City Transit workers recovered more than 68,000 items last year and passengers filed claims for 31,500 lost articles on buses and subways, according to the inspector general.

New York State Personal Property Law requires transit workers to return lost property with a value of $20 or more and to return cash amounts of more than $10.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.