Sydney Airport lost property auction returns with thousands of items up for grabs

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Sydney Airport lost property auction returns with thousands of items up for grabs

By Katherine Scott
Sydney Airport will sell off more than 3000 lost items for charity.

Sydney Airport will sell off more than 3000 lost items for charity.

Sydney Airport's lost property auction has returned after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, with 3000 unclaimed passenger valuables to be sold off for charity.

With millions of people travelling through Sydney Airport each month, personal items and valuables sometimes get left behind.

While more than 4000 lost items have been returned to passengers in the last year, thousands of unclaimed property is donated to local charities or auctioned off.

Laptops, phones, cameras, designer bags, jewellery, perfume and sunglasses will be available for bids starting at $5, with the auction closing this Sunday.

Theodore Bruce Auctioneers will host the 2023 airport auction for the first time.

"The technology auction is sure to be a hit with over 120 laptops, 60 headphones and more than a dozen cameras available," said James Badgery, auction house director.

Sydney Airport chief executive Geoff Culbert has described this year's haul as a "treasure trove", with money raised going to Bayside Women's Shelter.

"Not only is this auction a great chance for shoppers to grab a bargain but it's also a wonderful way to support an organisation that's making a meaningful difference in the community," said Culbert.

Among some of the more unusual items up for auction is an air fryer, multiple drones, a record player and a Makita circular saw.

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"We even got some rather unique sales like a hedge trimmer, circular saw, and sun lounge, although we're still scratching our heads wondering how that ended up at the airport," said Culbert.

"For music lovers there is a classical violin or for those who just like to listen there are more than a dozen Bluetooth speakers as well a record player and 50th anniversary edition of Abbey Road on vinyl."

Thousands of dollars have already been bid since the auction went live on Sunday.

Among the most sought-after items is a luxury Audemars Piguet Automatic men's wrist watch (current bid, $7500), a Rolex lady's wrist watch ($3200), a Louis Vuitton duffle bag ($1300), a DJI Mavic 3 drone ($2000) and a Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Torch ($1300).

The catalogue of items for sale can be found online at www.theodorebruceauctions.com.au. Sydney Airport's lost property auctions have raised over $1.4 million for charities since 2013.

Many major Australian airports will hold auctions for lost property and unclaimed baggage. Last November, Brisbane Airport held its biggest unclaimed property auction in its history, with exclusive airport items added in including runway memorabilia, a behind-the-scenes tour of the airport, and a year of free parking.

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