A new system created by Southeastern has helped return thousands of lost items.

The digital lost and found service allows customers to register their lost property online to help Southeastern reunite precious items back to their correct owners.

Amongst nearly 5,000 returned items were a trumpet, an insulin pen, and a set of church keys.

Over 138 million journeys were made last year on Southeastern alone, with around 19,381 forgotten items that were retrieved from stations and trains.

With some being your everyday items, to others more intriguing, like a glass owl.

The lost and found scheme has seen nearly 25% of lost items returned, which is a large increase from a previous figure of only 10.4%.

Using QR codes to tag lost items, staff can keep a detailed log of each item on a secure database. The system then automatically matches an item based on the information provided by the customer through an online form.

The Lost Property Office at Cannon Street and 23 hub stations are each equipped with the technology. The system has a fraud detection system and is fully GDPR compliant.

The system also revealed where most items were found in one year, with London losing 5,762 items. The most commonly found items are backpacks, phones and glasses.

But luckily, if you lose something, you can have better luck getting it back. More information can be found here.

“This is a brilliant example of how a simple change can make a big difference to our customers.

“We’ve seen not only a dramatic increase in the number of items returned to their rightful owners, but also a real boost in customer confidence. It’s quicker, more secure, and easier to use.”

Aaron Cox, Southeastern’s lead for lost property