Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Europcar’s Lost Property in Rental Vehicles Includes Rodents, Ashes

Europcar UK tracked the items left behind in their rental vehicles and noted the most unusual items including a mouse, plants and ashes in an urn.

by Staff
September 28, 2012
1 min to read


Europcar UK released a report on Sept. 19 of the oddest items left behind in their rentals in 2012.

Among the common items left by customers are sunglasses, CDs and loose change. However, some of the most unusual items left in rental cars this year include a live mouse in a cage, two 6×10 foot oil paintings, 30 plants, a hedge trimmer and ashes in an urn.

Ad Loading...

The ashes were returned to the customer who had brought them over from South Africa. All the glasses that go unclaimed are recycled as part of Europcar’s “Go Green” pledge.

The rarest item left behind was discovered at Europcar’s Blackpool Station location; it was a life-size dummy, dressed as an old lady, left in the trunk of a Ford Focus.

“Judging from our lost property, our vehicles have a tale to tell” said Europcar UK Managing Director Ken McCall. “But our staff always goes out of their way to reunite our customers with their forgotten items, no matter how bizarre.”

More Rental Operations

Photos of CEOs Colm Brady and Francois Kruger on a blue background and above a headline.
Telematicsby News/Media ReleaseMay 22, 2026

RentalMatics, GeoInt Partner On Rental Car Speed Tracking Tech

Rental operators can now detect and act on speeding while vehicles are still on rent, thereby reducing fines, admin workload, vehicle wear, and safety risks.

Read More →
NextPass 407 ETR

NextPass Expands Toll Payment Service to Highway In Toronto

Fleets and consumer can use a transponder-less option when traveling between Canada and the U.S.

Read More →
A black Jeep is displayed at the Zubie-Bosch-TSD exhibit during the International Car Rental Show.

Zubie, PurCo Integrate Rental Damage Detection With Telematics

The combination brings actionable vehicle insights into PurCo’s PurInspect platform, improving damage detection and operational efficiency for rental fleets.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
50 states map showing LOR rates for each state with different shades of light to dark green

U.S. Length Of Rental (LOR) Declines Slightly in Q1 2026

LOR related to insurance claims overall continues to trend downward, but ongoing market and economic conditions could affect future results while the industry deals with staffing and productivity challenges.

Read More →
Illustration of a driverless futuristic front seat/dashboard view of other cars on a freeway with city skyline on horizon.

Hertz, Uber Deepen Roles In Self-Driving And Driver-Led Fleet Services

The business arrangement connects demand with scalable fleet management services and supports a range of mobility uses.

Read More →
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
A black Audi SUV superimposed on a historic scene from downtown Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Carwiz Sets Up Rental Operations In Central Asia

The global franchise operation reaches a first in its rental fleet portfolio with new service in Uzbekistan.

Read More →
A raging brushfire in the countryside.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 30, 2026

Where Rental Fleets Must Adjust To Shifting Catastrophe Risks

West Coast disasters pose unique challenges and liabilities for rental fleet operators, who are advised to take steps tailored to their specific situations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
ARN Industry Newsmakers thumbnail page with ARN and ICRS logos and shots of Nick DiPrima and Martin Romjue
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 27, 2026

Using AI To Find Rental Car Damage

Angry car renters are storming social media, the mainstream media, and online ratings platforms to complain about charges they claim are either unfounded or excessive.

Read More →
Ad Loading...