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With thousands of bags lost at Heathrow's Terminal 5, some people
will never see their luggage again. So what happens to bags when
the hunt for their owner ends?
In a small warehouse filled with furniture, electrical goods and
clothing hanging from the ceiling in clear plastic bags, a battle
of egos is under way.
A bidding war has charged the air with tension.
But this isn't Christie's or Sotheby's - it's an auction in
Tooting, south London.
And none of the prospective buyers are hoping to buy rare
artwork.
About 40 people are assembled in the cramped room where everybody
is seeking the perfect bargain.
Virtually every object - from televisions to trainers, cupboards
and even the seats people sit on - bears a small white sticker
with its lot number. Many of the cars outside are also for sale.
For many, the highlight is the sale of unclaimed bags from
Heathrow airport.
Auction houses in the UK, sell luggage once airlines have given
up attempts to return bags to their owners.
Gary Marshall, from Enfield, north London, is a regular at these
auctions, which he has attended weekly for more than a decade.
Last week he bought four cases - a modest haul compared with his
average of between 15 and 20 each week.
The main attraction at the auction is lost luggage
The 46-year-old former engineer says buying at these auctions,
which started out as a source of extra money, has become his
"livelihood" as he sells the cases and their contents online and
at a market stall he runs.
"It isn't easy to make money out of this," he warns, after
explaining that he can sell the goods for up to six times the
amount he paid.
"The more I buy, the better my chance of something decent. It's a
gamble. You could get a bag of crap or open it to find designer
goods, which you can then sell on eBay."
Suitcases purchased by BBC News for an average of £20 appear to
support Gary's theory.
Their contents provide snapshots of holiday hopes: short-sleeved
shirts and t-shirts are mixed in with denim miniskirts, bright
beach towels, swimming trunks and several photographs of a young
man in Hastings.
will never see their luggage again. So what happens to bags when
the hunt for their owner ends?
In a small warehouse filled with furniture, electrical goods and
clothing hanging from the ceiling in clear plastic bags, a battle
of egos is under way.
A bidding war has charged the air with tension.
But this isn't Christie's or Sotheby's - it's an auction in
Tooting, south London.
And none of the prospective buyers are hoping to buy rare
artwork.
About 40 people are assembled in the cramped room where everybody
is seeking the perfect bargain.
Virtually every object - from televisions to trainers, cupboards
and even the seats people sit on - bears a small white sticker
with its lot number. Many of the cars outside are also for sale.
For many, the highlight is the sale of unclaimed bags from
Heathrow airport.
Auction houses in the UK, sell luggage once airlines have given
up attempts to return bags to their owners.
Gary Marshall, from Enfield, north London, is a regular at these
auctions, which he has attended weekly for more than a decade.
Last week he bought four cases - a modest haul compared with his
average of between 15 and 20 each week.
The main attraction at the auction is lost luggage
The 46-year-old former engineer says buying at these auctions,
which started out as a source of extra money, has become his
"livelihood" as he sells the cases and their contents online and
at a market stall he runs.
"It isn't easy to make money out of this," he warns, after
explaining that he can sell the goods for up to six times the
amount he paid.
"The more I buy, the better my chance of something decent. It's a
gamble. You could get a bag of crap or open it to find designer
goods, which you can then sell on eBay."
Suitcases purchased by BBC News for an average of £20 appear to
support Gary's theory.
Their contents provide snapshots of holiday hopes: short-sleeved
shirts and t-shirts are mixed in with denim miniskirts, bright
beach towels, swimming trunks and several photographs of a young
man in Hastings.
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