Lost keys tour the Northeast and make it home.
Every day we receive incredible stories of Tile users miraculously being reunited with their lost items through our Community Find feature, but this one must be shared.
Steve lost his coat on Amtrak with his Tiled keys in the pocket. Despite their daily travel at a speed 125MPH, through state lines, and past rather unhelpful clerks, the Tile community was able to return them to Steve...and keep him updated on their whereabouts along they way.
This is the story he shared with us:
Dear Tile,
Thank you.
Really, my wife Lulu should get all the credit. She signed us up for Tile. Me - the one who has a penchant for losing track of things? I was skeptical. Sure, I could see how it could be helpful for finding a lost phone between the sofa cushions or unearthing my keys from under my desk papers, but beyond that? I just wasn’t so sure.
I was on an early morning Amtrak train from Washington, DC to Newark. Just as the train pulled into the station and I was gathering my things, my cell phone rang. Against my better judgement, I answered the call, which distracted me from collecting my coat - stowed in the overhead bin.
Naturally, I got off the train and just as the train began its journey to NYC I realized my coat, and more importantly my KEYS, with my Tile, were still on board.
Immediately, I reported it to Amtrak Lost & Found. I placed dozens of calls to NYC Penn Station and Boston South Station, and Washington, DC Union Station.
No coat, no keys. They said they’d call me if they found them.
For the next 22 days I watched, refreshed, updated my Life360 app as my keys traveled up and down the Northeast Corridor: Boston, Waltham, Queens, Philly, Lanham, Maryland (just about 10 miles from my house) and then back North again...
It was infuriating that I couldn’t get them back, but it was comforting knowing that they were still out there.
Those keys probably racked up about 5,000 miles before seemingly landing on Kneeland Street
near Boston South Station.
Again I called the Lost & Found and again I was told there was no coat and no keys that matched my description. They had hardly heard of Kneeland Street! But then signal reappeared -- indicating the keys were still in Boston.
A business trip fortuitously took me to Boston today. A few minutes after arriving downtown, I got the signal -- still on Kneeland.
After my meeting I hopped in an Uber to the station to see what was up. I went to the Lost & Found office and got a green flicker, letting my know my keys were nearby!
I finally spoke to the woman in charge of the Lost & Found. She said I couldn't come back to the restricted area to look for them, but went and came back with a large box filled with about 50 different sets of keys.
Strangely, when she came out with the box I got no green light indicating they were found! I was close, but not there yet. I showed her how the indicator worked by ringing the Tile in my wallet. She still wouldn't let me back into the office so I gave her my phone while she went and investigated.
Suddenly, I heard the jingle. The Lost & Found lady came out with my keys! I gave her a giant hug. My coat was gone, but that's OK, I can get another one of those, and let's hope that one went to someone who needed it for the winter. The lost keys were more unsettling - and more expensive with two car keys on them.
So as I travel back to DC, I feel almost whole again. My skepticism in Tile is no more. I'm a believer. In fact, we just need more people to carry them!
So, thank you. I hope I don't have to write you again, but thank you.
- Steven