Smart kiosks help find lost items

What should you do if you lose personal items while taking the Metro trains? Shenzhen police has introduced an innovative public welfare initiative — the 24-hour self-service lost-and-found kiosks for your lost items. 

A lost-and-found kiosks in a metro station in Shenzhen. Photo from WeChat official account "深圳公安发布"

A total of 55 smart lost-and-found kiosks have been put into use at Line 4 and Line 13, Shenzhen North Station and Shenzhen East Station. Taking Line 4 as an example, the average retrieving time for lost items has been reduced from 5.2 days to 1.8 days since the kiosks were put into use in December 2024. The claim rate has increased to 15%, and over 80 lost items are received daily. Around 50 online loss reports are filed each day.

Shenzhen police plans to install 1,000 units citywide, covering 800 public venues in collaboration with metro stations, high-speed rail stations, airports, ports, taxi/ride-hailing sites, and major transportation hubs to create a seamless lost and found service network across the city. 

The kiosks offer four main functions including handing in found items, searching for lost items, reporting lost items and consigning luggage. 

Handing in Found Items

Passengers who find a lost item can go to the kiosk and choose 【Hand in Found Item】.

Depending on the size of the item, they can choose the appropriate locker type (large/medium/small).

After confirming the locker size, they need to select the specific item category, then click 【Open Locker】. Once the item is placed inside and the door is closed, the hand-in process is complete. 

Searching for Lost Items

Passengers who have lost an item can go to the kiosk and select 【Search for Lost Item】.

They can log in by scanning a QR code or using facial recognition through the "Shenzhen Public Security WeChat Official Account — Lost and Found System."

The system features an automatic matching function—for example, if the lost item is an ID card, it will be displayed automatically.

For other items, users can add search filters. If the lost item is found, they can initiate a claim request and view the contact details of the storage facility. After backend verification, they can also choose "Mail Delivery" to complete the process.

Reporting Lost Items 

Passengers who have lost an item can go to the kiosk and select 【Report Lost Item】.

Instead of calling 110 or seeking help from local police stations, they can complete an "online loss report" by submitting item details and contact information for future reference if the item is found. 

Luggage Consignment

To prevent the risk of losing belongings while traveling, the kiosks offer a 【Luggage Consignment】service, allowing passengers to travel light.