I found a small wallet with just an senior easy card and some kind of senior citizen ID card. No telephone number.
Should I give it to a police station near my home, or to the shopping center (Neihu RT Mart 2) closest to where I found it? Or… Somewhere else?
I’d bring it to the police station closest to where you found it.
the missus dropped hers one day and went to nearest police station where she thought it might have been lost, and they indeed had it, all intact.
Thanks. Any idea if another nearby (2km or so) police station will do as well?
Sure. tell them where you found it.
they will probably notify the station(s) nearby.
they might even invite you in for a cup of tea.
a side anecdote…our family was in east coast this summer and went to a bus stop on Route 9 outside of a police station to wait. my wife decided to go inside to ask and make sure the bus comes often.
one officer said no, not really and he then called a taxi for us and invited us inside (as it was like 34F outside) and turned on A/C in the break room and put TV channel to cartoons for the kids and gave us some bottled water.
Cops here are pretty nice. When I was a little girl (pre-cell phone days) my mom always told me that if I ever got separated from her or otherwise lost to just head to the police station and tell them where I live. Sure enough, the one time I lost her in the night market, I did exactly that and the police officer took me straight home.
As to OP’s question, yes, just bring it to the closest station. I did that for a lost wallet once. I think they just have you do a little paperwork and that’s it. I remember being in and out in about 20 minutes.
Same for me. I lost my wallet one night (leaving my first ever KTV experience), and the next day the police phoned up my employer and said my wallet had been turned in. After work that evening I went to the station and picked it up. Everything was still there–except the cash, about $900nt. I was happy to get everything else back, so I just thought of the money as a “reward” for whoever turned it in.
I’m honestly kind of surprised the cash was gone. When I lost my wallet and got it back, every single thing was still there. I don’t think the person who picked it up even looked through it.
Same here…I found a wallet last month right near the entrance of the lane where I live…Picked it up…looked inside and saw there were a bunch of credit cards, easy cards, ID’s, NHI cards and 2K NT$ in cash…The address on the ID stated the person(s) were from Tainan (I live in New Taipei City). So I went to the nearest Police Station and turned it in…they asked for my ID, then typed a bunch of information (police report stating the exact contents inside the wallet)…made me sign the report and another thick police book and I was on my way out after about 30 mins or so. They handed me a copy of the report and I noticed there was a point there stating “If the lost property has been returned to its rightful owner, then the person who found it can claim a 10% compensation from the owner”…Just last week, I got a mail from the Police Station saying the wallet has been returned to its rightful owner…nothing about compensation though, which I don’t need anyway…I’m just happy I did the right thing and the other party I’m sure was grateful too. 
My wife went to an ATM at the bank which was closed and found a couple of 100$ bills laying on the floor.
We went to the police station nearby. If nobody claimed it we would be allowed to have it.
6 months later we got a call from the police and could pick up the money at the station.
Well it was not a good news story when I lost my wallet with plenty of ID and NT$10000 directly in front of the house and walk back three minutes later and is already gone.
Police station is one of the most identifiable buildings in the area.
Hmpf, my neighborhood police station turns out to be empty and abandoned. The next one is actually the one closest to the place I found it. Went there, told them when and where I found it, was told they will find the owners, was asked if I want a receipt, said no thanks, was out within 3 minutes. Cool, let’s hope the old couple gets their stuff back.
As others have said here, just take it to the cops. They will know what to do with it. I always tell them I’m in a hurry because I don’t like to have to do the paperwork associated with it.
If you’re somewhere outside, the nearest police station will do.
If it’s anywhere in the MRT system, in a mall, etc. you can bring it to the service desk. Those places usually have a “lost and found” booth…
lol wish i read this thread earlier.
i didn’t think police station would be so helpful so i returned to a shopping mall counter
I returned two wallets to the police station. I think it’s the best place, in my opinion; however, the last time I returned a wallet the cop asked “Was there any money in it?” I really wanted to tell him “Sure. I put it in my pocket for safekeeping.” lol.
Police station, as has already been discussed. They have you sit down and write out a report then have you clarify the report is correct, even when you say they can just turn it in and don’t need to notify you of anything further. Then, a few weeks later you get a formal report in the mail with details regarding if it was picked up, etc.
If you’re in the MRT, you can turn things into the nearest counter as well.
I turned one in a few months ago with about $5k in it and all the ID. Cop in Taipei just looked through it and counted it all in front of me, his partner watched, then said that is all. Didn’t sign anything , didn’t show ID, he said he’d contact the owner.
For all I know maybe the cops kept it