Nearly 600 items left behind at this year’s county fair

DEL MAR, Calif. – Nearly 600 items have been turned into the San Diego County Fair’s lost and found this summer season. Clothes, credit cards, and cell phones top the list of lost things this year.

Credit cards were the number one thing lost, 120 of them to be exact, and not many appeared to be claimed just yet. However, there were some success stories.

“We’ve had a couple wonderful reunions with wallets this year,” said Gail Tompkins.

It’s Tompkins’ 23rd year working for the fair and she’s seen it all at the lost and found.

“Someone’s brain x-ray! That was very unusual,” said Tompkins.

More than 560 items total were turned in. Out of 103 cell phones, only seven remain. There were boxes of water bottles, more than 40 sets of keys, four pairs of shoes, a stroller and even an umbrella.

“We had warmer weather this year to start the fair, so we haven’t had many sweatshirts and jackets,” said Tompkins.

Even during some of our hottest weeks of the year so far, the worker explained that someone left behind a fur hat.

Sixty pairs of sunglasses also made their way to guest services, where Tompkins’ team has a system to reunite these items with their owners. Some might call it old school, but she calls it “efficient.”

“We have logs. I don’t want to go computerized because it’s what works,” she explained. “You know if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.”

To pick up a lost item, just park in the rideshare lot. There is a $20 deposit to enter the fair, but you’ll get it back as soon as you head out. The fair will keep the items on site even after the fair ends until July 15. Anything unclaimed will eventually be donated.

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