NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A Nashville woman, Rebecca Magnuson, claims a Lyft driver took off with her luggage and never returned it. Now, she said that she is speaking up to warn others about her experience.
"It's devastating," Magnuson said.
She flew into Nashville International Airport on Thursday and she said a Lyft driver picked her up and helped her load her luggage. Magnuson was taken to a nearby Mercedes dealership to pick up her car that had been in the shop.
"My attention was diverted just for a short moment by one of the attendants at the dealership, and when I turned back around, he was gone. He had driven away with my luggage," Magnuson said.
Moments later, Magnuson said she texted and called the driver through the Lyft app. She even offered him money to return the luggage.
When that did not work, she reached out to the company, too. Now, she's sharing her experience with News4, a sister station in Nashville.
"I want to make sure this does not happen to other people," Magnuson said.
Magnuson also filed a report with Metro Police. She said at least $10,000 worth of jewelry, clothes, and electronics were in her suitcase.
"It's really devastating to have something like this happen, and I feel so incredibly violated," Magnuson said.
While she fears the worst about her luggage, she wants accountability.
"My hope is that Lyft will listen and make some serious changes," Magnuson said.
News4 contacted Lyft for comment. The company understands it can be frustrating to leave behind an item in a vehicle and tries to do its best to facilitate the return of lost items and riders connect with their driver.
The company said directions on how to file a lost item claim are available in-app as well as online.
On its website, Lyft said the easiest way to recover a lost item is to contact the driver directly, and Magnuson said that is what she did in this case.