Lost and found items... eg. passport...

[nordiglyset]

Hello everyone,

Yesterday, on my rush out of a taxi cab which stopped in an 'inappropriate' place - I mean, not a taxi stand - I left some of my belongings in the cab.
My passport was among them. Now, I called the taxi company immediately, but so far they have not found anything... I also placed some ads online, but so far nothing.

I would like to know what else can I do in order to get my passport back, at least. I am not a local person, my passport is a photo ID, so I cannot imagine that if someone finds it, what do they do with it instead of returning it to the driver.

I really would like to get it back, I just do not know what else can I do for it. Any ideas? This is a very unfortunate situation. Thanks for your comments.

[sierra2469alpha]

Report it to the police immediately and get an official report - most embassies/consulates require this for re-issue. Also, inform your local embassy/consulate.

I hope you get all your gear back...Mr. P

[durain]

if you dont get your passport back, it will probably end up in the blackmarket. as sierra2469alpha mentioned, you need to report it asap to the police and your embassy.

[Strong Eagle]

Hello everyone,

Yesterday, on my rush out of a taxi cab which stopped in an 'inappropriate' place - I mean, not a taxi stand - I left some of my belongings in the cab.
My passport was among them. Now, I called the taxi company immediately, but so far they have not found anything... I also placed some ads online, but so far nothing.

I would like to know what else can I do in order to get my passport back, at least. I am not a local person, my passport is a photo ID, so I cannot imagine that if someone finds it, what do they do with it instead of returning it to the driver.

I really would like to get it back, I just do not know what else can I do for it. Any ideas? This is a very unfortunate situation. Thanks for your comments.

If you can remember date, time, and location, the taxi company may be able to id the driver. Were you a street pickup or did you call for a taxi?

[nordiglyset]

If you can remember date, time, and location, the taxi company may be able to id the driver. Were you a street pickup or did you call for a taxi?

I reported it already...They are a small taxi company, they made a broadcast, but 'no one replied'... I think they did not even identify the driver by the details I gave to ask him personally...

Anyways. So it means that most of the people here is Singapore bring items like a passport to the black market right away? Like someone said it would end up there... does that mean we have to assume that professionals, housewives, students, retired people whoever jumped into the taxi, found the passport are PROBABLY connected with the local black market and knows where to take it and make money of it? Because it sounded like that to me. And where is this black market? Because I am willing to go there and buy it back if necessary. If it is so easy to find the black market like people assumed here, that the finder would most probably take it there, it shouldn't be a problem for me to find it, either.

[Strong Eagle]

If you can remember date, time, and location, the taxi company may be able to id the driver. Were you a street pickup or did you call for a taxi?

I reported it already...They are a small taxi company, they made a broadcast, but 'no one replied'... I think they did not even identify the driver by the details I gave to ask him personally...

Anyways. So it means that most of the people here is Singapore bring items like a passport to the black market right away? Like someone said it would end up there... does that mean we have to assume that professionals, housewives, students, retired people whoever jumped into the taxi, found the passport are PROBABLY connected with the local black market and knows where to take it and make money of it? Because it sounded like that to me. And where is this black market? Because I am willing to go there and buy it back if necessary. If it is so easy to find the black market like people assumed here, that the finder would most probably take it there, it shouldn't be a problem for me to find it, either.

No... what it probably means is a dishonest taxi driver if you do not get your stuff back. From all anecdotes that I am aware of, most taxi drivers are pretty good at turning stuff in. Most passengers are pretty good at giving stuff to the taxi driver that they have found in the back seat. I am sure there are exceptions but most Singaporeans are honest.

But, notice something... almost always, the taxi driver looks in the back seat to make sure you haven't lost something. If that didn't happen here, your driver is not very professional and since the probability is high that he found the stuff or was given it by a passenger, the driver is dodgy himself.

As for the 'black market' in passports? Maybe... but I really doubt it. If you reported the passport missing it will already be in databases all over the place... and not so simple these days to alter it. I'd guess your passport is binned and the rest of the stuff you left has been sold or used.

Just get a new passport and don't leave it in the taxi.

[durain]

So it means that most of the people here is Singapore bring items like a passport to the black market right away? Like someone said it would end up there... does that mean we have to assume that professionals, housewives, students, retired people whoever jumped into the taxi, found the passport are PROBABLY connected with the local black market and knows where to take it and make money of it?

now...dont go blaming the general singaporean public because no one return your passport!!!

[moto]

i agree... don't blame the public for this...

i dropped my wallet when i alighted from a taxi once. thus, it was not in the cab itself but in the curbside. i finally found it there the next day, with all the cards intact but without the cash and the ezlink card. not bad actually. your wallet might still be where you got off, stuck to a pole somewhere there. i hope it has not been swept by the ubiquitous street cleaners, including the machinated ones that don't distinguish between passports and trash...

a friend also left his wallet in a cab, and the driver immediately made a u-turn to give him his wallet back!

so, go to the police and make the report, call your embassy just in case someone returned your passport there, and check the area where you alighted... and next time perhaps get a receipt so you know which cab you rode when...

[nordiglyset]

So it means that most of the people here is Singapore bring items like a passport to the black market right away? Like someone said it would end up there... does that mean we have to assume that professionals, housewives, students, retired people whoever jumped into the taxi, found the passport are PROBABLY connected with the local black market and knows where to take it and make money of it?

now...dont go blaming the general singaporean public because no one return your passport!!!

I wasn't blaming anyone, but it was shocking to read that it will most probably end up sold at the black market, like it's something natural.

[road.not.taken]

If it wasn't turned in, it'll probably end up on the blackmarket. This is the reality the world round. In Singapoaore however, 90% of items left in cabs make it back to their owner.

[durain]

lost/stolen passport are hot property, not just in singapore but worldwide.

[nordiglyset]

I wonder who what will the new owner do with it, if, after paying a bucketload of money she will be caught at a boarder with a cancelled passport from a country she never heard of, with a name they cannot spell, especially after it is reported to the police and it becomes useless. It also has a microchip inside for security reasons... people who sell it and especially, who BUY it must be off.

[Plavt]

I wonder who what will the new owner do with it, if, after paying a bucketload of money she will be caught at a boarder with a cancelled passport from a country she never heard of, with a name they cannot spell, especially after it is reported to the police and it becomes useless. It also has a microchip inside for security reasons... people who sell it and especially, who BUY it must be off.

Immigration and customs officers in most, if not the majority of countries are usually well trained and adept at determining whether documents including passports are forgeries.

[carteki]

lost/stolen passport are hot property, not just in singapore but worldwide.

A while back I got mugged (not in Asia) and lost both my passport and my national ID document. When I arrived at the embassy the next morning to get a replacement my ID had been handed in (the thieves had dropped it in a park), but my passport was nowhere to be seen... Little did they know how much hassle and effort "returning" my ID saved me and I managed to catch the plane home the next day with no trouble at all.

[ksl]

occasionally they can also trace the doctored passport right back, to the supplier, and on some occasions, the actual passport holder, was so short of cash, that he thought he could get away with selling his passport, report it lost and applying for a new one It takes all kinds, no doubt your passport will turn up! Fingers crossed!

I've been forgetful and left a few things like my camera, and wallet in shops, so i count myself very lucky getting them back!