B.F. -
"I left my bag on the bus with the kid's stuffed animals and toys. I called the
RATP who checked the end stations, and they didn't have it. After 24 hours I
followed your instructions and called the lost and found, went there, and they
had my bag with everything in it."
"Your
site told me what to expect when I arrived at the lost and found office..."
One Sunday, traversing Paris, I lost a glove. That Thursday a
five-minute walk from metro Convention took me to 36, rue des Morillons, a
police station where on the first floor (European) I entered and filled out
a form.
When my number was called the lady at
the window took my form and searched the computer for a marron/what used to
be Bordeaux-colored, cashmere-lined, left-hand glove.
It is important to have as much
descriptive information as possible; and this was important to me since I
like these gloves.
She searched the database and found a
glove matching my description and date of loss.
She said she would be right back, had
to go downstairs; 30 seconds later, she returned (someone had sent the glove
up in the dumbwaiter).
The time between the metro stop and
completion of this search took 30 minutes.
She brought back a glove wrapped in the
ID paper – right size, similar color, wrong style -- no match.
Although I was disappointed, there was
still hope. She gave me an ID paper, and said the police will contact me if
the glove turns up.
The Sunday of the loss I spotted two
different gloves, left hand, sitting on metro trashcans. Little did I
realize then that I should have turned them in.
According to the lost and found
pamphlet from the police, between 600 and 700 objects are turned in daily.
These articles come from the metro and buses, the airports, the street, some
department stores and neighboring suburbs.
About 10% of lost items are found; lost
items on the RER have included bicycles, wheel chairs, oriental rugs and
when it rains: umbrellas. One story told is that a passenger left his
laptop; immediately reported it at the station; the command central slowed
the train, an agent boarded and found the laptop.
How to get to the
Prefecture de
Police
Exit metro Convention
and go to the Léon de Bruxelles corner, walk rue Vaugirard toward the blue and white
Picard store.
Turn left on rue Leriche that turns
into rue des Morillons.
On the right after rue de Dantzig, look
for the small French flags (36, rue des Morillons, 15th
arrondissement/metro Convention or Bus 62, 89 or 95 -
Hours: Monday to Thursday 0830
– 1700/Friday 0830-1630
Filling out the form
The green form is in English and
French. It will ask your name and address, the date and place of loss, and a
description (style, color, mark/brand, contents, etc).
Going to the station does not have to
be your first recourse; try the last place you remember possessing your last
item. For losses on the RER or SNCF trains call the number listed:
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May 2008