Location: California
Sorry not sure which flair to use
I quit my job without notice a couple weeks ago. I was a key holder so I had keys to the store and the safe. When I quit, I left my keys in the back by the store radio (right above the safe). There was another key holder working at the time but I didn’t think to have her put the keys in the safe for me as it needs a key to be locked and obviously my keys would be inside the safe and I didn’t want to leave the safe unlocked.
I left the building and texted the store manager informing her I quit. Within the following week, she and the district manager called and texted me asking for the keys. I probably should’ve told them where I put the keys but it’s a very visible spot by the radio where the employees would interact all the time. Instead I ignored them and figured they would see the keys and not my problem anymore.
Now, a former coworker told me she overheard the store manager on the phone with the district manager discussing how serious it is that I haven’t turned the keys in. Former coworker says keys are no longer by the radio. There aren’t any cameras in the store at all to prove whether or not I left the keys. I have yet to reach back out to my former managers.
Should I text them where I left the keys? If the keys aren’t found where I left them, am I liable? Again definitely dumb on my part especially as several times the manager has asked me where something is, I told her, and she can’t find it and someone has to find it for her (always exactly where I said it would be) so I should’ve known she wouldn’t be able to find them, especially now that former coworker says the keys aren’t there anymore.
Edit to add: Not sure if it’s worth noting but I just remembered that another former key holder from a few years back still has the store keys. I know because the store manager from back then spread the story of how she showed up to that former employee’s house to try to get the keys back. The district manager is aware of that situation. Now, it is a different store manager (who is aware of that situation as well) and the same district manager
Edit 2: As crappy is this sounds, I honestly don’t care if I’m morally wrong for this. It’s a small location (of a chain store) comprised of 8 workers. 5 quit within a month, one being me, one being another key holder due to the management. That being said, I’m aware that leaving the keys where I did was a dumb mistake. I am here for legal advice