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Lost something on public transport?

How to track down an item left on a bus, train, tram, or taxi by contacting the right transport operator.

Items left on buses, trains, trams, and taxis around Santa Barbara are usually handed in to the operator's lost property team — the trick is contacting the right one quickly.

  1. Identify the operator. Note the route, line, or company and the rough time. Each operator runs its own lost property process.
  2. Submit a lost property report. Use the operator's online form or phone line as soon as possible; recovered items are logged against your description.
  3. For taxis and rideshare, contact the driver or company directly through your booking or app receipt.
  4. Keep your reference. Save any report number so you can chase it up.
  5. Post a listing. Add a listing for Santa Barbara in case a fellow passenger picked it up.

Check the local transport resources below for the operators serving Santa Barbara.

Helpful resources for Santa Barbara

Recent reports in Santa Barbara

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lost pins in Santa Barbara

On Tuesday at 9:45 a.m., I realized my pin set was lost after a quick stroll along State Street near Paseo Nuevo. I had them pinned to my denim jacket—a tiny compass, a seashell, and a tiny map pin that always makes me smile. The morning sun caught a glint on the sidewalk by the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, and I spent a few minutes scanning the pavement as I muttered to myself about where they could have gone. These pins are important to me; they were gifts and now I just want them back so I can stop replaying the moment in my head and feel a little normal again.

State Street, near Paseo Nuevo 14 days ago
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Lost violins near State Street, Santa Barbara

After a small recital at the Santa Barbara Conservatory of Music, I realized my two violins were missing from the back of my car around 8:15 pm on Tuesday. The cases are black leather with a faint scuff along the edges; one violin has a slight crack on the back—the sentimental instrument I inherited from my teacher. I combed State Street between the Conservatory and Stearns Wharf, asking staff and locals if they'd seen them. They were more than instruments to me; they carried years of practice, memories of late-night rehearsals, and a promise I made to finish a piece for my grandfather.

State Street near the Conservatory of Music. 16 days ago
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Lost Tank Accessories in Santa Barbara

I'm Emily Carter, and I lost my tank accessories last Sunday evening. Around 6:45 p.m. I was by a bench near the Santa Barbara Mission on State Street, waiting for a bus when I realized the bag with my tank accessories kit had disappeared. The kit includes a small heater and a few filter cartridges—things I rely on to keep my fish healthy. I'm hoping someone picked them up and handed them in at a nearby cafe or dropped them off somewhere around the Mission area, because I really need them back. If you found them, please know how much they mean to me and my fish.

bench by the Santa Barbara Mission on State Street 17 days ago
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Lost postcards near Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara

I lost my postcards yesterday at Stearns Wharf, around 2:10 p.m., while sorting through the stack I’d picked up during a Santa Barbara stroll. I must have set them down for a moment while checking a map and sipping a latte, because when I looked up, they were gone from the tote I was carrying. The batch includes souvenir cards with local scenes—the harbor, the Mission, and a vintage photo of the old courthouse. It would mean a lot to find them; they’re part of a small travel project I’m compiling for a friend who loves California sunsets.

near Stearns Wharf 20 days ago
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Gym bags gone after SBCC workout.

At 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday, I finished a workout at the Santa Barbara City College gym and realized my gym bags were missing from the locker by the mirrors near the basketball courts. I retraced my steps through the lobby and spoke with the front desk, but the bags didn’t turn up. Inside were my training clothes, a pair of running shoes, and a charger for my headphones—the essentials I rely on for morning sessions. I’m stressed about replacing these items and anxious about being stranded without my gear. If you saw bags near the SBCC gym or along the Loma Vista corridor, please leave a note on the site.

Urgent
SBCC gym near Loma Vista exit 22 days ago
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Lost GPS devices in Santa Barbara

I lost my GPS devices while hiking near Stearns Wharf around 5:30 PM last Friday. Two devices were in a blue zip pouch—one handheld with a cracked screen and a second car-mounted unit. I had walked down State Street toward La Arcada and then looped back toward the harbor, realizing the pouch was gone just outside Stearns Wharf. These tools are essential for field work I do with a local research program, and I’m sick with worry they’ve found their way into the wrong hands.

near Stearns Wharf about 2 months ago