Here's the content of the lost item report I just filed online with the Taxi and Limousine Commission. This follows a bunch of information about the trip number, medallion number, etc. (All of which was on the receipt, which is why you always get a receipt from a New York cab driver.)

I left my cell phone in this cab. I called 311 and was given service number C1-1-298344148.

At 2:00 AM on 2/25/07, a customer in the cab found my phone and called a friend whose number was still in memory. The cabby horned in on the conversation and insisted the customer give his (the cabby's) number to my friend.

The cabby now has my phone and wants me to call him directly, despite the fact that I've already filed a lost property complaint. I suspect he wants to hit me up for a reward instead of doing what he's supposed to and dropping it at a police precinct.

If you'd let me know how to proceed, I'd appreciate it. The phone number above is my wife's. (Obviously, I don't have my phone.)

Thanks.

I'll let you know how it turns out.