District Office Altona

Collecting lost property

Prerequisites

• You have lost something and it has been handed in to the relevant office.
• You can prove your ownership of the lost property.

Documents required

• Identity card, passport, residence permit (valid identification document)
• Proof of ownership, for example purchase contracts, boxes with stickers of the serial or IMEI number, in the case of keys: duplicate keys
• If a mobile phone is lost, please also provide the IMEI or SIM card number (this can be found in the purchase documents. Due to the high number of lost mobile phones, the PIN alone is not sufficient.)
• If picked up by another authorized person: a power of attorney, a copy of the owner's ID card, a valid ID card of the person picking up the item
• if available: the notification letter from the competent authority

Please note

If you have lost your key, please contact the relevant office in person. You will need to present an identical second key as proof of ownership.

If you have lost your mobile phone or other mobile device, you must prove ownership (proof of ownership showing the serial number, IMEI number, or SIM card number (for example, a purchase agreement, box, or provider contract)). Your personal PIN is not sufficient due to the large number of mobile devices.

If your bicycle has been lost or stolen, provide details of the make, color, and be sure to include the frame number.

Bicycles are handed over to the responsible authority by the police no earlier than 10 weeks after being found. The police need this time to compare the found bicycles with the theft reports and, if necessary, to locate the owners.

Found documents cannot be collected from the responsible office. They will be sent to the issuing authorities (for example, other cities, consulates, banks, insurance companies).

Please contact the relevant department in person if you have questions about lost and found items such as plastic bags, canvas bags, paper bags, purses, backpacks, scarves, gloves, glasses, umbrellas, and clothing. These are considered "mass-produced items".

Should you require a certificate for your insurance, you will have to pay a fee of €10. Please bring the documents from the police with you. They contain all the relevant information for issuing the insurance certificate.

Deadlines

• Lost property from Hamburg Hochbahn subways and buses is kept for two months.


• Key finds are retained for the current month + 2 additional months.


• All other lost property will be kept for up to 6 months.


• The retention period begins with the processing of the discovery date in the relevant storage software of the responsible authority.

Procedure

• You should inquire in person, by email, or by phone with the responsible office whether your lost item has been handed in. You may have already received written notification from the responsible office that the lost item has been handed in there.
• You visit the responsible office in person.
• You describe the lost property in detail and, if possible, provide evidence of your ownership of the property.
• The responsible body will review your request and your documents. If necessary, the responsible body may request additional documents and information from you.
• The responsible authority will decide on your request.
• They identify themselves.
• You pay the custody fee.
• You will get your property back.

Processing time

The release of a lost property usually takes 5 - 10 minutes.

Fees

The following storage fees apply:

• Wallets, keys, "mass-produced items": 12.00 EUR
  
  
  
  • From the 4th month onwards: also €12.00
  
  


• Mobile phones, electronic items, jewelry: €20.00
  
  
  
  • From the 4th month: 25.00 EUR
  
  


• Bicycles, strollers, bulky goods: EUR 25.00
  
  
  
  • From the 4th month: 30.00 EUR
  
  


• If you require shipping, a flat shipping fee of €9.00 will be charged in addition to the storage fee.

Payment methods available

• Girocard
• Cash payment

Legal remedies

No legal remedy is provided.

Legal basis

§§ 965 ff. German Civil Code (BGB)


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