Wouldn't it be better to give it to local police station and let them know which one?

I'm a Rhode islander and that is too much work

Yeah, moved here recently and that doesn't surprise me at all

Annnnnnnd they're already gone

Most people would do that, it’s part of being a good member of the community.

so you just put someone’s keys on a public marker for someone to steal?

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I'm a Rhode islander and the police station is like a 10 minute drive. I didn't pack a lunch

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Thanks I’ll go get them /s

we live in rhode island. this is how people are

Anyone dumb enough to think this shouldn't have internet access

*we live on planet earth. this is how people are

FTFY

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Where do people go without the keys to their car?

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Nope still there

You don't think anyone over 60 should be driving?

You’re a Good Samaritan

Shoot. Gone again

What a dumb comment.

Uh...

Bring them to the local police, dude. Putting them there is like giving away the key to someone's car. Car keys contain a tracking device that can be hacked by thieves and used to locate and steal someone's automobile.

Worked at a grocery store, we had a bucket of car keys that no one ever came back for. One day, a lady did- when we asked how she got home, she told us she just pulled her 2nd set out of her purse and drove home without a second thought.

​

It was only weeks later that she realized she only had one set on her. Everywhere she went- she just asked until she ran across them again.

I have nothing of relevance or importance to add, but I’ll include some reading material for anyone browsing the comments.

I’ll start by saying I lose my keys A LOT. One night about 10 years ago I get home from work; I park in the back of my apartment, I go to the front to check the mail, I walk back to the back to get into my apartment, then I took my dog for a small walk down the block. That night there was a huge blizzard.

The next morning I realize I can’t find my keys. I search all around the house to no avail. I take a break and then I look again. I still couldn’t find them in any of my usual spots, so now I start to worry that I may have dropped them outside before it started snowing and that I might have to try and find them before the plow guy got there.

So I go out and I start shoveling a path from my door to my car while meticulously checking ever shovelful of that heavy wet snow. When that didn’t turn up anything I do the same thing all the way down the driveway, to the mailbox in the front, and eventually down the block.

After hours of this the sun was going down and I was freezing so I decided to call it quits. I get in the house and get dried up and into warm clothes and slump down on the couch in defeat. And just as I do, I glance at the placemat at the center of my coffee table because I notice something small underneath causing a bulge. I just closed my eyes in annoyance and shook my head slowly because I knew it was going to be my keys, and it was.

The other one happened a couple months ago at a Cumbys. I had parked directly in front of the store, walked right to the drinks, went straight to the counter, and then right back to my car. It took me all of 2 minutes but when I got back to my car I couldn’t find my keys. The door was unlocked so I searched all around inside and around my car. When I couldn’t find them I retrace my steps in the store. I noticed a couple late teens/young adults hanging around the store not doing anything but I don’t immediately think anything of it.

I still couldn’t find them, so I go and ask the clerk if he’s seen them. He had not, so I go back to the car to search one more time before deciding to go ask the kids.

First I ask if they seen a Jeep key anywhere… one of them looks at me like I’m an idiot and says, “what?” as the other looks at me with a “why the hell is he talking to us” look on his face as he glances at his buddy in annoyance. So I decide to offer a reward. I tell them I got $20 bucks for them if they help me find my keys.

That’s when one of them says, “ohhh… that’s what he was talking about? I thought he was kidding.” As he points to the clerk with one hand and takes my keys out of his pocket with the other.

I just look at him like Russell Westbrook as I snatch my keys out his hand and walk out.

Anyway yea, like everyone else said.. that probably wasn’t the best spot to leave them.

OP, your heart was in the right place—but this ain’t it.

Please don't breed

> No one really thinks anymore do they…

I see stuff that has been dropped on the trail left in space where someone will see them, like trail heads, all the time - for years!

Good positive vibes and blessings to you op.

Man calling police to be helpful can be a risk. Play with 💩it gets on your hands.

What’s a…… com-mew-nit-ee?

Why wouldn’t you? Keys lost on a trail aren’t really of any value to a thief - they don’t know which car or house they unlock or where that is.

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It’s a bike path, not an out and back trail with a trailhead. A thief would have to check every trailhead on the path and that’s assuming it wasn’t someone commuting via bike.

I’d much rather someone put my keys where I could backtrack and find them than take them to a random police station.

One time I lost my wallet. The Cranston Police contacted me the next week saying they found it. It had everything I lost including cash. I was very lucky.

> Car keys contain a tracking device that can be hacked by thieves and used to locate and steal someone’s automobile.

Huh?

1, most remotes are one-way, transmit only. Some get a confirmation response back, but that’s pretty much just aftermarket or high-end OEM.

2, you’re giving common car thieves way too much credit. Literally just have to walk around the nearest parking lot(s) pressing the lock button and listening for horns/beeps.

Uh…. Don’t lose your keys when on a bike bath is probably where you should start the finger pointing

I carry my house and car keys on the same ring. I’d have my car keys with me on the bike path to get back into my house, but I wouldn’t notice they were gone until I got home.

Everyone saying bring them to the police have never dealt with RI cops….. they don’t care. At all. I called in a very apparently drunk driver and all I got was attitude in response like the cop was upset I was trying to do his job for him. The car was never pulled over and the driver probably made it home stumbled his way into his house and threw up all over himself. They just wanna put bullets into something.

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There are at least 5 parking lots within a short walking distance from that marker. Plus a few neighborhoods.

If someone wants to go through that much effort they were probably going to break into something anyways.

About 10% of the time I pass that post it has something lost on it. A glove, mitten, hat, baby sock, toy, etc. Not the first time it has had keys.

What if someone was walking or biking and they slipped out of their pocket?

I don’t know if the person would go to the police station though they will probably go back to where they think they lost. It probably be better to just leave it in the area where it was.

I mean if you lose something like that on a trail, the first thing you should do is call the local station to see if anyone has turned anything in 🤷 Something that is taught to us since we've been kids

Putting lost items at eye level (on a fence, gate, etc) so people have an easier time spotting them is common practice everywhere I’ve been in the country. Your car is much more likely to be broken into by someone breaking a window to grab change than by someone testing every parking lot along a 15 mile trail.

You are really paranoid.

Literally never heard this in my life.

Idk why people are ragging on this. First thing someone does if they lost something is retrace their steps, so picking the keys up to eye level will make them easily found by whoever is looking. People are being so paranoid that someone would steal them, when 99% of people are decent and will leave them alone knowing someone will come looking for them. This is how my favorite winter hat and gloves were returned to me when I lost them walking across my college campus. Someone picked them up and hung them over a fence on the path I dropped them on. Don’t let the haters get you down for doing a good thing OP! :)

I think the ass-hat might have a point or part of one.

From now on, if I'm in this situation (and I have been) and I don't choose the police station option, I'll at least check the nearest cars/ trailhead and try the unlock/ horn thing.

As you said, a thief isn't going to check a long list of places.

Was taught to me in school and was a lesson learned several times so 🤷

Love honest people. Instant good karma.

Same tradition as putting g a glove you find on the sidewalk on a fencepost.

On the one hand RI cops do seem pretty passive, but on the other hand it seems pretty rare for them to shoot someone. Last one was that loose cannon from Pawtucket if I remember right.

Not sure why I'm getting recommended this sub as I live in VT and have barely ever been to RI, but thought I'd chime in here. Up here you'd probably take the keys to the town car garage, clerks office, or PO. No police, so some of the reputable people in town would likely hold them.

I feel like someone should designate one unofficial point of contact lost and found in every state after seeing this

I mean the keys aren’t much use without a car to use them in…

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Ok

Ah, The fresh smell of free keys. Don't post stuff like this on a public website.. In 2023. I THOUGHT WE'VE LEARNED