Police locate lost items
Sarah Bizzoco
Issue date: 4/15/10 Section: News
Flash drives, iPods, car radios and swimsuits are just some of the items turned into the various lost and found locations on campus.
Even unclaimed money is turned in. This money goes directly to a fund for drug education, according to Karen Farrow, UTC Police Sergeant.
Many departments on campus send lost and found boxes to the UTC police for further distribution.
Shannon Smith, director of the UC, said they hold items until the staff is "tripping" over the lost and found objects. Smith said items are then sent to the UTC police.
Items turned into lost and found at the police offices are held for a minimum of 60 days. All unclaimed items are gathered up and either donated to the Salvation Army, or sold in an auction open to the public. These auctions happen about twice a year, Farrow said.
One of the most common items found are keys, Farrow said. Officers handle boxes of keys "out the wazzu" every semester, she said.
"We have everything from Tom, Dick and Harry; even keys with bunnies on them," she said.
Many students who have lost items said UTC's faculty and staff are good about returning all items to the owners as soon as possible. Most students said they received an e-mail saying their items were found.
Kosi Ukwu, a Nashville junior, said he lost his wallet last semester. But after he checked his e-mail, he got it back that day with some money missing, but all credit cards intact.
"I was really surprised someone actually turned it in," he said.
Farrow said 95 percent of students on campus are honest and turn in lost items. She said the real issue is that students won't claim their lost items.
But some students are not aware of where lost and found is located.
"I didn't even know we had a lost and found," Preston Ayres, a Chattanooga sophomore, said.
Lost and found is located at the UTC Police Department at 800 Palmetto St. It is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Even unclaimed money is turned in. This money goes directly to a fund for drug education, according to Karen Farrow, UTC Police Sergeant.
Many departments on campus send lost and found boxes to the UTC police for further distribution.
Shannon Smith, director of the UC, said they hold items until the staff is "tripping" over the lost and found objects. Smith said items are then sent to the UTC police.
Items turned into lost and found at the police offices are held for a minimum of 60 days. All unclaimed items are gathered up and either donated to the Salvation Army, or sold in an auction open to the public. These auctions happen about twice a year, Farrow said.
One of the most common items found are keys, Farrow said. Officers handle boxes of keys "out the wazzu" every semester, she said.
"We have everything from Tom, Dick and Harry; even keys with bunnies on them," she said.
Many students who have lost items said UTC's faculty and staff are good about returning all items to the owners as soon as possible. Most students said they received an e-mail saying their items were found.
Kosi Ukwu, a Nashville junior, said he lost his wallet last semester. But after he checked his e-mail, he got it back that day with some money missing, but all credit cards intact.
"I was really surprised someone actually turned it in," he said.
Farrow said 95 percent of students on campus are honest and turn in lost items. She said the real issue is that students won't claim their lost items.
But some students are not aware of where lost and found is located.
"I didn't even know we had a lost and found," Preston Ayres, a Chattanooga sophomore, said.
Lost and found is located at the UTC Police Department at 800 Palmetto St. It is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
