Police lost property service to be axed in Shropshire

Forces across the UK will no longer be offering the service and will not issue lost property references as of Monday.

The changes, agreed by chief constables nationally, come as there has been a declining number of lost property reports and it is hoped it will reduce demand on the enquiry desk staff and call handlers.

Forces have said they will maintain their role to retrieve stolen goods.

Chief Constable of Staffordshire Police, Gareth Morgan, said: “Over the years, police forces have traditionally accepted the responsibility of recording lost property and the public have come to expect this as a service.

"The number of lost property reports the force receives has declined year-on-year and the way in which the service is utilised has also changed; often the requirement being to validate lost property for insurance purposes.

“Change can always be viewed as contentious, however we will continue to take an active role in reuniting members of the public with their property should their items be found or later retrieved as stolen goods.”

Members of the public will instead be directed to online sites such as lostbox.co.uk, immobilise.com and reportmyloss.com amongst others, which already provide details of losses to police forces and insurance companies across the UK.

If property has been lost in a public place including public transport, a licensed premises or a business premises, it is recommended that the venue or company is contacted directly.

There is no legal duty for the police to maintain a system of recording non-evidential property.

For more advice on how to report lost property in the West Midlands, visit https://www.west-midlands.police.uk/node/729