On Sunday 7APR, an electronic item was left at the queue at the north end of the SkyTeam Security Priority Queue around 1600h. I remembered a couple ahead of me was asked to remove their electronics but didn't pay much attention (except I knew the husband had crocodile cowboy boots). It was sitting on the other side of XRAy machine along with with my electronics. So, I waited a couple of minutes for a few people to collect their belongings after me. Since it was not collected, I took the unit and ran to find the American couple with cowboy boots. Sadly, it was not theirs. Next I went to both lounges (priority members most likely have lounge access) and asked if anybody las lost their electronics and nobody came foward to the desk.

- unit set to American time format (indicated AM/PM)
- not set to Asian written script and has grey cover
- on security XRay around 4pm SkyTeam security priority queue
- owner most likely on way back to NAmerica (delayed flights airport wide)
- owner can also be originating in NRT for south and westbound flight


Please email me privately if you are the owner (kkua AT earthlink DOT net). I want to do the right thing.

Since you've held on to the item this long...the owner has probably already checked with the security contractor in NRT, Delta in NRT, and Delta in the US (if that was where they were headed). The chance of someone seeing it here on FT (crocodile boots or not) is slim to say the least. Possibly, could you have had the couple paged to return to the checkpoint. IMO, that could have been the best for all concerned.

Many electronic devices have owner information stored on them. If it's a cellphone, the carrier will return it to the owner if you drop it off at one of their stores (or probably call and mail it to them).

Thank you for doing the right thing.
Please take a look at the electronic item. Many of them contain a serial item, e.g.
at the bottom, behind the battery, sometimes on the side. If the item does, you may contact the manufacturer. In many cases, they will have an owner listed through some channel (or may be able to trace the store in which the item was sold and through that reach the owners)
You can also contact the airline, give the day/time/description of the people, and they may be able to try and link it with a record (or video recording) of the couple to return it
^ for trying!


Added: NRT's lost and found service in Terminal 2 can be reached at +81(0)476-34-5220. [Just in case, terminal 1's lost and found is +81(0)476-32-2105]

IMHO, the right thing was to leave the item there in care of staff, since they have a professional process to deal with items left behind. I can see being wary of security checkpoint staff, but especially in Narita, they are nothing at all like the potential TSA thieves we suffer with in the US.

At this point, on the videotapes, YOU look like the bad guy who took an item not belonging to them and ran off with it. Even though your subsequent interactions with local staff don't support that interpretation.

The lounge staff didn't suggest that you leave the device with them?

IMHO, the person is already in NAmerica, at least I'm in the same continent. There's no need for immigration/customs clearance and the owner does not have to backtrack to NRT to pick it up.

You're right, I do look like the bad guy. But I'm trying to speed things up and make karma right.

Statistics are with you, but you *could* have carried a kiddie porn collection past customs. Or top-secret stolen nuclear plant files. And now it's your hot potato. Honestly, I'd bring it to Delta at ANY airport and just hand it to a red coat. The person who lost it is going to have an alert set with them, not be looking in FT. To break in and run your own forensic analysis to find more about the owner is not a defendable practice at this point. Again, IMHO.

I'd be worried the owner has already reported it stolen, not lost - and depending on their occupation and the contents of the device, movie plots suggest your next visitors could be a SWAT team or a hit squad.

Good luck getting rid of it safely.

I'm going to the Apple store this afternoon to see if they can help me track the owner by serial number. Otherwise, the lost and found team at Grand Central Station has ways to hack into units to locate owners.

The first place the owner would have reported the missing device is Delta. That seems the fastest way to return it. As TheRoadie suggested, turn it in to Delta at the nearest airport.