"Why somebody took their teeth out on the bus and sat it down next to them, I don't understand," says Melhuish, 51. "It surprises me that the operator actually picked them up and turned them in."
Operators who turn in lost stuff get to keep it if it's not claimed in 30 to 90 days, depending on its value. Laptops, jewelry and cash are held the longest, but most of what is turned in is "junk," says Melhuish, a 22-year SEPTA veteran.
Among the spicier found items are porn DVDs, says Valentin, 32, with the more-senior Melhuish recalling when it used to be "magazines and pictures of loved ones in compromising positions. Now it all goes on the Internet."
Valentin adds: "Lots of marijuana. I just happened to walk back and saw a Black & Decker vacuum, a blind man's cane, walkers," he says. Smaller lost-and-found items are kept in cardboard boxes in a locked closet.
If items have identifying information, clerks make an attempt to locate the owner and will call or mail a card, says Valentin.
"We look at the wallets for identification," says Melhuish. "If we find a phone, we call if they have 'home' or 'Mom' listed."
In stock right now, Valentin says, "We have a laptop, projector and a video camera. We can edit our own movies."
As for the left-behind bicycles, "some people have a theory that they're stolen and they let them get taken back to the depot and they'll come pick it up in a couple of weeks, but I've never seen any validity to that," says Melhuish.
"Folded-up shopping carts is another big item," says Valentin, with 13 years on the job. "All these groceries in a cart - you rolled it to the bus; you get off the bus; you're carrying the groceries." And you get off without the cart?
Canes, too. You were limping when you got on the bus, but got healed during the ride?
