‘Dude, where’s my stuff?’: Arlington Co. man’s invention looks to improve lost and found system

A product developed in Arlington County, Virginia, aims to make it easier to get your lost items back.

LostAF is a website with printable lost and found stickers with a unique bar code and email that allows people to contact you if they find your stuff.
LostAF is a website with printable lost and found stickers. (Courtesy LostAF)

It’s called LostAF, but that doesn’t stand for what you might think.

“There is of course a double entendre, but truth be told it was organic from ‘lost and found,'” said Arlington investor Dave Doctor, who came up with the idea.

LostAF is a website with printable lost and found stickers with a unique barcode and email that allows people to contact you if they find your stuff.

“They can send a message to that email address and we forward that message to you,” Doctor said.

Doctor said he’s got the stickers on his iPod case, wallet and even his credit cards. He said the system keeps you anonymous when you sign up.

“You don’t reveal your name, you basically, like, protect your gear and you hide your name,” he said.

You can get a kit for about $15 that includes more than 50 stickers. Doctor said some of the stickers have funny phrases, such as, “Help! My mom will kill me if you don’t return this.”

Others read, “Dude, where’s my stuff?” and “Get me home.”

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Kyle Cooper

Weekend and fill-in anchor Kyle Cooper has been with WTOP since 1992. Over those 25 years, Kyle has worked as a street reporter, editor and anchor. Prior to WTOP, Kyle worked at several radio stations in Indiana and at the Indianapolis Star Newspaper.

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