MTA Retrieval Squad
August 21, 2025
The MTA Retrieval Squad is a lesser known service
of the subway system’s over 3.6 million users.
According to MTA data, more than 6,700 dropped-property calls
have been logged this year alone.
From smartphones to dentures,
the city’s subways are an unofficial repository
of New Yorkers’ most personal belongings,
and MTA teams are constantly fishing them out.
The specialized retrieval crews,
known as Combined Action Teams,
respond to calls from all corners of the system.
Their finds? Practically everything.
A trumpet at 39th Ave (N/W lines)
A 32-inch TV at Burnside Ave (No. 4)
A turtle at Columbus Circle
A full bag of blood en route to a hospital
A glass eye
"Somebody’s going to drop something,"
said veteran transit worker Vinny Mangia.
“And if it’s important enough,
someone’s going to try and get it back.”
MTA officials say that the more detail a rider provides
when reporting a lost item, the better.
That includes nearby stair numbers, station signs,
the direction of the train, and whether the track
was local or express.
A little precision can be the difference between
a successful rescue or watching your AirPods
collect dust under the 7 train.