What does the TSA do with all the stuff that is left behind in security checkpoints each year?
Answer: it auctions it.
Check out this interesting video that explains the process–
Allegedly, the money goes back into a general fund.
Just how much is left? At Detroit for example, the following was recovered last year–
- 158 laptops
- 59 cell phones
- ~700 pairs of glasses
I am surprised there were not more cell phones left behind!
How To Claim Lost Items
What happens if you leave an item behind at a TSA checkpoint and only discover it after your flight has departed? You have about six months before the TSA will auction the item off.
The TSA website lists contacts for lost and found by airport. Simply type in your airport code and a telephone number will come up. For example, here is Los Angeles:
Call the number listed and leave a message. If your item is found, you will receive a return phone call. Pick-up can be arranged in-person or if the item is of sufficient value shipping can be arranged (for a fee of course).
CONCLUSION
The best way to avoid ever leaving items behind it to triple check around you for missing items and perform a mental inventory count. I’m not one to talk about lost items, but I have made it a priority not to lose anything…further.
So let’s say I forgot to check or remove an item that isn’t allowed through screening (e.g. a bottle of booze). Could I “lose” it at the TSA checkpoint and claim it later?
That’s a great question. Try it and report back.
Is it the same auction and store as the lost baggage is located– alabama???
For the record, you can’t leave a VM at the LAX TSA number(s) provided (or the number you have on the picture above). This is NOT as easy as you make it out to be.
you can’t call the voice mail at LAX. Left my phone — had to send e-mail explaining what happened. But nobody there during weekend –not as easy as this article says.
First off, it has been 10 months sense this item came up missing. I do not know for sure that I left 16 ten ounce silver bars at a TSA check point. In my memory is that the silver was setting on a table while my bag went through the ex-ray machine a second time. I have no memory of that silver returning to my bag. Why am I investigating this now? When I did not have it when I reached my destination; I thought I left it at my best friend’s house. When asking him about this, I got the impression that is was there at his house, this assumption turned out to be false. I returned to his house ten months later to do my own search, with no positive results. The value of this silver is about $3,000.00. You can see why I want to investigate.