From butterflies to breast milk, Uber's list of lost items reveals wild backseat discoveries

June 3, 2026

Uber has released its 10th annual Lost and Found Index, documenting unusual and common items left behind by passengers in rideshare vehicles. New York City topped the rankings as the most forgetful location, with Sundays being the day when passengers most frequently leave belongings behind. The list features peculiar forgotten items ranging from ankle monitors and meat slicers to live butterflies and breast milk, while also tracking cultural trends like AirPods, COVID-19 vaccination cards, and recently popular Labubu plushies.

Who is affected

Uber riders who have lost items in vehicles
Uber drivers who must handle lost items
Uber as a company managing lost and found operations
Rideshare users across various US cities, particularly New York City residents

What action is being taken

Uber is rolling out a new lost and found reporting process in its apps, which will be launched nationwide by the end of the year.

Why it matters

This matters because Uber dominates 76% of the US rideshare market, meaning millions of Americans use the service and potentially lose belongings. The Lost and Found Index serves as both a practical tool for tracking lost items and an unexpected cultural record that documents evolving consumer trends and societal changes over the past decade, from the rise of AirPods to pandemic-related items to current fashion phenomena.

What's next

Uber's new lost and found reporting process will be launched nationwide by the end of the year.

Read full article from source: BBC