Dentures, cash and racing trophy among bizarre items forgotten in taxis
Passengers have left more than 10,600 items in Australian taxis over the past year, with some truly bizarre finds.
Thousands of dollars in cash, a prestigious horse racing trophy, and even a “smoking apparatus” were among the thousands of items left behind in taxis by absent-minded passengers.
Victorian passengers were the most forgettable, leaving 4125 items behind, followed by those in Queensland (2532) and NSW (2347), according to 13cabs annual lost property report.
More than 10,600 items were left behind in taxis last year (up from 9816 in 2024), including a prestigious RANVET Stakes racing trophy, $14,000 in cash to one passenger, and $7642 to another.
One of the most memorable items left behind was a full set of dentures left in the back seat of a Melbourne cab. Fortunately, the teeth were safely returned to the rightful owner.
In another incident, a passenger was reunited with their mobile phone they had accidentally left on the bonnet of their taxi, which was later spotted 40km away.
“Our drivers consistently go above and beyond to return valuables and personal belongings,” 13cabs chief operating officer Olivia Barry said.
Sydney cabbie Mohammad Amiree returned a travel bag containing US$5000 ($A7642), a passport, an iPad and personal documents after it was accidentally left behind in his cab.
“When he told me he trusted me, I felt proud. That is the best part of the job,” Mr Amiree said.
On the Gold Coast, driver Sawarn Singh Dhaliwal personally returned a bag containing about £8000 ($14,000) and essential medication to a woman travelling overseas later that day.
“She tried to give me a tip, but I told her it is part of the job to do the right thing,” Mr Dhaliwal said.
A traveller from Singapore accidentally left behind a bag containing rosary beads and a personal diary while on holiday in Singapore. The 13cabs team arranged for the items to be safely returned to him overseas.
In 2024, legendary Australian jockey Glen Boss was reunited with his three prized Melbourne Cup trophies that he accidentally left in the back of a taxi.
This year, a cabbie found a RANVET Stakes racing trophy left behind in a Silver Service taxi before reuniting it with its grateful owner.
The RANVET Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group horse race for three-year-olds and older over a distance of 2000 metres, held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney in March. The total prize money was $1 million.
While the most common items left behind include mobile phones, wallets, passports, sunglasses, airpods/headphone and umbrellas, some of the more unusual items included a sleep apnoea machine, a full set of dentures, and “smoking apparatus”.
Data from 13cabs shows weekends and long weekends are the most forgetful periods for passengers, with Melbourne Cup Day emerging as the busiest day of the year for lost property.
“As we head into peak travel and holiday season, we remind passengers to check for phones, wallets and bags before getting out of the taxi,” Ms Barry said.
Originally published as Dentures, cash and racing trophy among bizarre items forgotten in taxis
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