If a customer loses an item in a Lyft, the customer is supposed to contact the driver so they can return the item for a fee, per Lyft’s website. What the driver is definitely not supposed to do is sell the item to a pawn shop—but that’s exactly what TikTok user Jeff Joe (@suitejonez) says happened after he left his AirPods in the car.
In a series of videos, Jeff Joe says that he lost his AirPods while in a Lyft, only to later use the location tracker to discover they had been sold to a pawn shop, Cash America Pawn.
Once he arrives, he informs the staff of what happened and demonstrates that the AirPods automatically connect to his phone. The pawn shop owners refuse to give his AirPods back to him, saying he needs police representation.
@suitejonez #airpods ♬ original sound – suitejonez
After Jeff Joe calls a police officer, the officer tells him that he needs his serial number to confirm that the AirPods are actually his.
Jeff Joe then drives home to get his AirPods Pro box, which has the serial number. Upon returning, he is told that he can buy his own AirPods back for $40.
@suitejonez #greenscreen ♬ original sound – suitejonez
While the case still appears unresolved, Jeff Joe says the experience has sworn him off of AirPods for good, as the tracking function has never been able to ensure the return of his AirPods.
@suitejonez Replying to @piscesbabyyyyyyyyy ♬ original sound – suitejonez
Jeff Joe is based in Texas. In Texas, numerous people have reported similar experiences, with some saying that they have had to wait months for a formal court trial before being able to get their stolen goods back, per WFAA.
That said, the same article notes that pawn shops are required to report all goods they accept into a database, where it can be compared with a known registry of stolen items.
In the comment section, users shared Jeff Joe’s frustration.
“It’s undeniable if they making noise in his damn store lmao,” wrote one user. “they need to hand it over and get the Uber driver back up there with the info he gave.”
“This why I have a splitter and some plug in 4.99 headphones. ain’t no one stealing them,” joked another.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Lyft via email, Jeff Joe via Instagram DM, and FirstCash, who own Cash America Pawn, via email.
