Case story ·
A high-value watch recovered from Istanbul Airport Lost & Found and safely handed over in Istanbul
A Hamilton watch worth around €1,600 was left behind at Istanbul Airport and registered with the airport Lost & Found office. Its owner had already returned to Greece, so he needed a reliable lost property collection service in Istanbul to recover the watch on his behalf. Because of the value of the watch, this was more than a simple lost property pickup. We needed to manage the Istanbul Airport collection procedure carefully, provide the required proof of ownership, and decide whether international shipping to Greece or a secure local handover in Istanbul would be the better option.
What happened
The traveller contacted us after confirming that his Hamilton watch had been found and was being held at the landside Istanbul Airport Lost Property Office under a reference number.
As he was already back in Greece, returning to Istanbul just to collect the watch was not practical. He contacted us to arrange the lost property pickup and manage the airport collection process for him.
With a value of approximately €1,600, international shipping also required some consideration. Insurance, possible customs or import charges in Greece, and the secure handling of a high-value item all had to be taken into account.
After discussing the available return options, he decided that the safest and simplest solution was for us to collect the watch from Istanbul Airport Lost & Found and personally deliver it to someone he trusted in Istanbul. She would then take the watch back to Greece herself.
How we recovered the watch
We helped the owner prepare the authorisation required for the Istanbul Airport lost property collection and attended the Lost & Found office during its collection hours.
During the pickup process, the airport requested additional proof that the watch belonged to him. We had already discussed this possibility with the owner, so we were able to provide supporting photographs showing him wearing the Hamilton watch.
Once the Lost Property Office approved the documents and proof of ownership, the watch was released to us.
We immediately confirmed the watch with the owner, kept it securely in our possession for two days, and then arranged a trusted local courier handover to his contact in Istanbul.
The watch was safely delivered, and the owner was relieved to know that such a valuable and personal item had been successfully recovered without requiring another trip to Turkey or an unnecessary international shipment.
For high-value lost property at Istanbul Airport, every case can require different documentation. The airport Lost & Found office decides what proof of ownership and authorisation is required before releasing an item. Our role is to help prepare the collection correctly, attend the office on the owner's behalf, collect the lost property securely, and arrange the most suitable way to return it.
Collected from Istanbul Airport Lost & Found and safely handed over in Istanbul.