Fly and drive gone wrong! Ideas?

I live in Oregon. I'm currently in Arizona to pick up a truck and drive it home (20+ hour drive.) Before buying, an acquaintance through my work who lives in Prescott kindly offered to look at the truck, and offered to help with a fly and drive if needed. He went to the seller's house and gave his review. 
 

Money was sent, and the signed-over title was overnighted to me. The seller had plans to leave town on a river trip, but gave directions to his place and said the keys would be hidden where the local acquaintance had seen them. He said he would notify his neighbors and we could help ourselves.

Now that I'm here and have connected with the local buddy, he told me he doesn't know where the keys are hidden!

I tried contacting the seller, but no reply to messages or voicemails; I suspect he is out of range...he's a geologist/natural history professor doing field work.

I'm thinking to go out there and try hunting for the hidden keys, and if that fails, see if a mobile locksmith is willing to help.

Additional context:

The truck is outside town at a little cluster of cabins in the woods. Access is steep and difficult single-lane roads. I'm imagining there's 8 zillion hiding places (stumps, sheds, patio, cabin, backside of fences, etc) It might not be possible to tow out...the seller said that if transporting it, I would have to arrange in advance to move it out of his neighborhood. I figured no sweat, I'll drive it!

It is also an imported Toyota Land Cruiser, so finding ignition cylinders, etc if needed might not be easy.

Ideas? I'd prefer not to fly home empty handed and come back later, I'd also prefer not to get accused of theft. I have the title, BOS, and overnight postmarked envelope sent from his address to my address, as well as my insurance card with coverage on the truck.

Dang that's a pickle.   Will the seller be in cell range tonight?  

I bet the keys are inside the fuel door, inside the rim of the wheel from behind, or up under the bumper. Somewhere on the car. Definitely worth a look if you're already there, and keep trying to get in contact periodically.

Did you check the truck nooks everywhere?  Gas cap area?  Top of wheels, door cards, visors, etc? 

I'd have to believe the keys wouldn't be too hard to find, and you've obviously got time on your hands... 

Good luck.  That's super unfortunate.  The play going forward might be to send the keys with the title, not that that helps you right now...

I cannot wait to hear the results of this one.

Can you walk over and talk to the neighbors?  One of them might know a usual hiding place, or have other information.

As others have said, my guess is the keys are on or immediately near the vehicle.  Start there and widen the search as needed.

Good luck!

If I am taking your words literally, I would hammer the local aquaintence to think and recreate his visit. You either have nutty professor who forgot to leave them or he made a slight comment that the acquaintance didn't pick up on. 

Caprigrip said:

Dang that's a pickle.   Will the seller be in cell range tonight?  

Unlikely, most of the rivers around here are in super-steep/deep canyons, and it can be days from where you put in to where you can haul out, and no cell service at the bottom of the canyon. He said he would be gone through the holiday weekend.

glueguy (Forum Supporter) said:

If I am taking your words literally, I would hammer the local aquaintence to think and recreate his visit. You either have nutty professor who forgot to leave them or he made a slight comment that the acquaintance didn't pick up on. 

He swears they were in the nutty professor's hand/pocket or the ignition cylinder for the entire time he was there.

Duke said:

Can you walk over and talk to the neighbors?  One of them might know a usual hiding place, or have other information.

As others have said, my guess is the keys are on or immediately near the vehicle.  Start there and widen the search as needed.

Good luck!

 

This was an idea I had as well. I'm waiting for a ride out there, will let you guys know how it goes!

Where's the popcorn emoji? Good luck!

In hindsight, I should have had him mail the keys as well, but at the time there was a potential plan to have the seller deliver it to the acquaintance's warehouse, but the seller ran out of time before his trip, and the acquaintance has a dog that has needed a lot of care/vet visits lately, which put a wrinkle in things. I only felt comfortable asking so much of busy folks multiple states away!

Hey, if its such a remote place, maybe he left them in the ignition like your acquaintance said. I'd go and search every nook and cranny.

Is the truck locked?  If not, use a jump wire to cross wires at the back of the key cylinder.  
Pop the hood, trace out some wires and do the same?

That is a pickle, but Prescott is nice, coupla nice eateries near the Courthouse.

Hopefully the ignition is the secret hiding spot.

camopaint0707 said:

I cannot wait to hear the results of this one.

i've got my popcorn...

FWIW, I'm heading over to Prescott Valley around 11am. Not sure how I could help but if you think of something holler. I will hold off on leaving till 11:30.

What street are you on there?

In reply to L5wolvesf :

Thanks a ton for the offer! I'm currently downtown; local acquaintance will be here shortly to give me a ride out to Ponderosa Park to see if we can find the keys!

If you post up your phone number before 11 I will text you.

I'm in Cottonwood - so about 1.5 hours from Ponderosa Park.

Number redacted

I'm in Phoenix. It's not that long a drive. I have a good friend down here who's a mobile locksmith; let me know if you'd like me to connect you two. 

In reply to ae86andkp61 (Forum Supporter) :

Txt sent

Good luck.  My first hope is that the vehicle is actually there...

The keys were found easily, and I am on my way! Thanks for all the help and suggestions. sorry to make a mountain out of a molehill, but hopefully I provided some entertainment and a cautionary tale!