Car keys found and witheld until proof of ownership

[Lonely]

speedyguy said:

Amazing how national companies can have a simple set of protocols and procedures yet a 'government organisation' can't manage something so simple


As local Facebook pages etc become the more useful of the two to reunite property etc the police take on a less and less useful or relevant role in the real world/society.

But it was never the responsibility of the police to record lost and found property. It was just another one of those things where they ended up doing it because they didn't/couldn't say no. Unfortunately things came to a head when budgets became non existent that Chief Constables decided enough was enough and started pulling up the drawbridge in quite a few areas to at least give them half a chance of coping with police work.

[Bigends]

Lonely said:

speedyguy said:

Amazing how national companies can have a simple set of protocols and procedures yet a 'government organisation' can't manage something so simple


As local Facebook pages etc become the more useful of the two to reunite property etc the police take on a less and less useful or relevant role in the real world/society.

But it was never the responsibility of the police to record lost and found property. It was just another one of those things where they ended up doing it because they didn't/couldn't say no. Unfortunately things came to a head when budgets became non existent that Chief Constables decided enough was enough and started pulling up the drawbridge in quite a few areas to at least give them half a chance of coping with police work.

Closure of Police stationa and front counters where traditionally the majority of found property was handed in and lost property was recorded caused most forces to adopt the current property policies. Managing lost and found property wasnt particularly labour or cost intensive and provided a very useful service to the public in its day

[Nemophilist]

Update - the bloke still has the keys

Not given them to police.

She sent him her insurance docs and he has told her he would look through it.

I’ve told her to speak to non emergency police to get some advice as this doesn’t seem right at all to me.

It’s only a standard little hatchback car. Not exactly a target for a thief.

[ZOLLAR]

Nemophilist said:

Update - the bloke still has the keys

Not given them to police.

She sent him her insurance docs and he has told her he would look through it.

I’ve told her to speak to non emergency police to get some advice as this doesn’t seem right at all to me.

It’s only a standard little hatchback car. Not exactly a target for a thief.

Just FYI most Insurance policies have a failure to safeguard condition.
If she knows the keys are in the posession of a third party essentially without her permission and doesn’t take steps to secure the vehicle (block the car in, lock change etc), if the car is subsequently stolen they may refuse a claim.

Treated case by case and the scenario you describe is a little unusual but something to be aware of.

Why on earth he thinks it’s his duty to go through her insurance and take his time about it is beyond me, i’d suggest you continue to assist her in being a bit more proactive to get those keys back asap.

[M12MTR]

Call the police now - it's stealing the keys by finding.
She must call the police!

[Flumpo]

He’s taken it up a notch. I take it from your involvement she doesn’t hack a partner?

If you can get the number and take over.

[martinbiz]

I guess she has his address if she sent her insurance docs, l think l would be paying a visit and persuading him to return the keys

[Second Best]

Nemophilist said:

Update - the bloke still has the keys

Not given them to police.

She sent him her insurance docs and he has told her he would look through it.

I’ve told her to speak to non emergency police to get some advice as this doesn’t seem right at all to me.

It’s only a standard little hatchback car. Not exactly a target for a thief.

Just playing devil's advocate, has he actually said he will sit down and review the paperwork of a complete stranger, or has he just said "thanks, I'm out at the moment, will take a look when I get home later". Given the finding the keys happened today, he may well be prioritising his own life over that of a ditzy registered keeper, which is fair.

Continuing on in the same mindset, if I found a set of car keys and someone said oh yeah I've lost a set of keys, it's a blue car, no I don't know the registration and I don't have the tax/insurance/V5/lease agreement/anything else, I'd be a little suspicious and at least want to see a bit of paperwork beforehand. I think I've done this before where I used to work, asked someone to confirm their registration and when they reeled it off to me and said "it's the silver Mazda with the pink air freshener and a child seat in the back", they got their keys back. Had he said "it's a silver car, don't know anything else", I'd have dropped the keys to corporate security, who were probably more stringent than the police in handing back lost property.

[Lonely]

Bigends said:

Lonely said:

speedyguy said:

Amazing how national companies can have a simple set of protocols and procedures yet a 'government organisation' can't manage something so simple


As local Facebook pages etc become the more useful of the two to reunite property etc the police take on a less and less useful or relevant role in the real world/society.

But it was never the responsibility of the police to record lost and found property. It was just another one of those things where they ended up doing it because they didn't/couldn't say no. Unfortunately things came to a head when budgets became non existent that Chief Constables decided enough was enough and started pulling up the drawbridge in quite a few areas to at least give them half a chance of coping with police work.

Closure of Police stationa and front counters where traditionally the majority of found property was handed in and lost property was recorded caused most forces to adopt the current property policies. Managing lost and found property wasnt particularly labour or cost intensive and provided a very useful service to the public in its day

Afraid I disagree Bigends. My old force outsourced property to a private company many years ago and long before we started closing stations. It must have had labour and cost implications or it would not have been done that way. There are still facilities to manage lost and found property but it's just not done by the police and most of the onus is put back on the losers and finders - depending on the item of course!

Anyway getting back on topic OP needs to get police involved asap

[Bigends]

Lonely said:

Bigends said:

Lonely said:

speedyguy said:

Amazing how national companies can have a simple set of protocols and procedures yet a 'government organisation' can't manage something so simple


As local Facebook pages etc become the more useful of the two to reunite property etc the police take on a less and less useful or relevant role in the real world/society.

But it was never the responsibility of the police to record lost and found property. It was just another one of those things where they ended up doing it because they didn't/couldn't say no. Unfortunately things came to a head when budgets became non existent that Chief Constables decided enough was enough and started pulling up the drawbridge in quite a few areas to at least give them half a chance of coping with police work.

Closure of Police stationa and front counters where traditionally the majority of found property was handed in and lost property was recorded caused most forces to adopt the current property policies. Managing lost and found property wasnt particularly labour or cost intensive and provided a very useful service to the public in its day

Afraid I disagree Bigends. My old force outsourced property to a private company many years ago and long before we started closing stations. It must have had labour and cost implications or it would not have been done that way. There are still facilities to manage lost and found property but it's just not done by the police and most of the onus is put back on the losers and finders - depending on the item of course!

Anyway getting back on topic OP needs to get police involved asap

Mine didnt - still managed in-house including all crime related exhibits etc, though clearly little to do in the way of lost / found property and bikes nowadays as the public are discouraged to surrender property to stations.

[Pica-Pica]

vaud said:

Have her tell him to hand it to the police and she will deal with them?

This. I don’t see why OP and friend are so annoyed about this. You would not want the finder to hand them back just to anyone, would you? You would be pretty pissed off if he handed them back to the wrong person.

[Lonely]

Pica-Pica said:

vaud said:

Have her tell him to hand it to the police and she will deal with them?

This. I don’t see why OP and friend are so annoyed about this. You would not want the finder to hand them back just to anyone, would you? You would be pretty pissed off if he handed them back to the wrong person.

I think it's because the finder is coming across as a bit of a tool and it hasn't been helped by the owners lack of assistance in the matter.

It sounds like he hasn't made much effort to help her describe her car/prove ownership. There are plenty of ways that could have been done.

[funkyrobot]

Knock knock.

Creak as door opens.

'Hi. I found this fish outside. Is it yours?'

'No.'

'Ok. Bye.'

[funkyrobot]

Knock knock.

No creak as door hinge regularly doused in WD40.

'Hi. I'm here campaigning about a new bypass.'

'Hello my good fellow. What bypass?'

'The one that will bypass the town'.

'My good fellow, I don't care for your bypass. I fly everywhere in a helicopter.'

'Ok. My mistake. Bye.'

[funkyrobot]

Knock knock.

Crunch as door falls off hinges.

'Hi. I found this donkey outside. Is it yours?'

'Do you know who I am?'

'No.'

'Ronnie Pickering.'

'Who?'

Boom!

[Pica-Pica]

Lonely said:

Pica-Pica said:

vaud said:

Have her tell him to hand it to the police and she will deal with them?

This. I don’t see why OP and friend are so annoyed about this. You would not want the finder to hand them back just to anyone, would you? You would be pretty pissed off if he handed them back to the wrong person.

I think it's because the finder is coming across as a bit of a tool and it hasn't been helped by the owners lack of assistance in the matter.

It sounds like he hasn't made much effort to help her describe her car/prove ownership. There are plenty of ways that could have been done.

Do people need help describing their own car?

[Flumpo]

Pica-Pica said:

Lonely said:

Pica-Pica said:

vaud said:

Have her tell him to hand it to the police and she will deal with them?

This. I don’t see why OP and friend are so annoyed about this. You would not want the finder to hand them back just to anyone, would you? You would be pretty pissed off if he handed them back to the wrong person.

I think it's because the finder is coming across as a bit of a tool and it hasn't been helped by the owners lack of assistance in the matter.

It sounds like he hasn't made much effort to help her describe her car/prove ownership. There are plenty of ways that could have been done.

Do people need help describing their own car?

The problem is we are never going to know exactly how the conversation went. But that fact that we have ended in one being unable to prove they own a car parked outside their house, and the other is taking time ‘reviewing’ insurance documents, tells us all we need to know.

Two fruits have met and ended up in a salad.

[Second Best]

funkyrobot said:

Knock knock x3

Are you a little lonely?

[Ilovejapcrap]

funkyrobot said:

Knock knock.

Crunch as door falls off hinges.

'Hi. I found this donkey outside. Is it yours?'

'Do you know who I am?'

'No.'

'Ronnie Pickering.'

'Who?'

Boom!

Who?

[Hol]

Mikee19 said:

Hol said:

Mikee19 said:

SmoothCriminal said:

I bet she would be moaning if he handed them to any tom dick or harry and her motor was gone, if she can't think of a way to prove she owns the car then it's no surprise she lost the keys.

Why would you steal a car with the keys handed in at a specific house? Wouldn't be hard to find the person, would it.

Why would you bother knocking on any houses to see if it were theirs, if you intended to steal the car anyway?

It's the Mum who is suspected of trying to steal the car because she says they are her keys, but she can't prove to the guy with the keys, that she owns the car.

I'm guessing the guy was expecting her to easily be able to pull out spare keys or documents without an issue so asked the question.

As she couldn't, he probably felt a bit stupid for asking the question and so couldn't give her the keys anyway, although probably 98% chance she was telling the truth.

I'm just imagining a Mum strapping her 4 year old into her neighbours car and driving off

I agree with you.

He thought it would be 2min exercise and probably wishes he just took them to the Police.