My client's kid left a live hamster in the glove box during a bumper fix
So I was working on this sedan with a cracked bumper, right? I open the glove box to check the VIN, and out pops this tiny furry ball. It was a HAMSTER, just chilling in there! The client had no idea her kid stashed it there before school. I had to stop everything and catch the thing without scaring it to death. We put it in a coffee can with some paper towels until she could come get it. Honestly, it was the most unexpected break I've ever had on the job. Now I always check for 'stowaways' before I start. Makes me wonder what ELSE people keep in their cars!
Honestly, after that hamster incident, did you start finding other odd stuff when you check cars now? I mean, what's the weirdest thing you've actually come across since then? Like, have you found old food wrappers, lost toys, or maybe even cash stashed somewhere? Tbh, I bet some people leave way stranger things than a hamster. It's crazy what folks forget about in their own vehicles.
That idea about folks forgetting crazy things in their cars doesn't match what I've seen. People mostly keep track of their stuff, and the hamster was a rare exception. The weirdest finds are often just old snacks or common trash, nothing too shocking.