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V/Line security practices are being called into question after staff allegedly gave an e-bike to a passenger who falsely claimed ownership.
On Friday, September 6, Warrnambool local Wayne Cogan exited the train at his home town to discover his $3,800 e-bike was given to a passenger who got off at another station.
According to the Public Transport Victoria website, passengers who check items into the luggage compartment on regional trains should be issued "the receipt portion of the luggage tag" which must be presented upon retrieving items.
"Passengers who lose their luggage tags must sign a declaration giving a description of the items and indemnifying V/Line against any loss or claim for wrong delivery," the PTV website reads.
"V/Line will only return the luggage if sufficient evidence of ownership is provided."
Mr Cogan and his wife Zoe Brittain purchased the e-bike to replace a car and regularly used it to commute to and from the regional train station.
V/Line staff allegedly handed over the e-bike worth thousands of dollars to the wrong passenger. (Supplied: Zoe Brittain)
Ms Brittain said luggage tags had rarely been handed out on the Warrnambool V/Line service since the COVID years.
She said while the staff member who gave the e-bike to the wrong person was "really apologetic", the theft could have been easily avoided if the luggage tag system was actually implemented.
"The main problem is the conductors swap over at Waurn Ponds, so he wasn't the person who put the bike on," Ms Brittain said.
"That's a huge problem if they have no way to keep track of where items are coming from."
Ms Brittain praised V/Line customer service team members who answered her call, but said she was advised it could take up to 7 days for a response.
"Which is pretty stressful considering we don't have a way to get around. We're down to one car for three adults in the house," Ms Brittain said.
In which time their car use could increase from around 30km per week to up to 500km per week, with no guarantee of compensation.
And V/Line policies state lost luggage will only be reimbursed up to $600.
Ms Brittain said the situation was another example of what she called an "ongoing pattern of behaviour of V/Line's disregard for regional travellers, especially on the Warrnambool line".
V/Line did not respond to the ABC's questions about its alleged failure to implement the luggage tag system, instead providing a statement saying "we have been in contact with the passenger and will assist Victoria Police with their investigation".