Lost your keys? Now you can call the police

The city of Dornbirn has a new service for locals - house key registry with a unique number for every citizen

Losing your keys can be a big hassle and potentially cost a lot of money if you had to change every lock, causing a cascade of replacements for family and loved ones. At the same time, even if a diligent citizen finds them and turns them to the police or some other lost and found authority – they have an insurmountable task of tracking the owner down.

Luckily for the citizens of Dornbirn, Austria, local authorities have found a solution. According to a recent announcement, the local police department will now allow citizens to register their keys and create a database of owners.

Additionally, the police will issue metal chips with number tags for the keychains of those who have registered. But why not a name tag and an address? Because it could aid a potential burglar in finding the right lock.

Hundreds of lost keys are handed in every year

Every year hundreds of keys are returned to the Dornbirn police station, as the ORF reported. According to Mayor Andrea Kaufman, however, a small portion of them find their way back to their owners. This is all about to change with the new registration system.

Now, locals can register their keys with the Dornbirn city police or with the lost and found office in Dornbirn. Their data will then be recorded and linked to a number – issued on a metal badge for their keys.

This would help authorities return the keys quickly if they were ever lost. Additionally, it would help to offer citizens more security. Mayor Kaufman was quoted explaining that in no circumstances should either citizens or authorities mark keys with names or addresses.