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In a TV show, one of the characters buys a storage locker. In that storage locker are keys. Then he goes to the place that the keys open and lets himself in.

My question is this:

By purchasing the keys, are you also purchasing the right to enter the location?

If no, what would you be charged with? Trespassing?

If yes, why?

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Purchasing a lot that contained the keys does not provide any rights to access the locks that those keys would open. What someone who did this would be charged with would vary by both location and also by prosecutorial discretion.

The only exception in this scenario would be if the storage locker contained the deed to the property in question.

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    Storage locker auctions convey deeds?
    – user662852
    Commented Mar 25, 2016 at 19:51
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    The bit about the dead would presumably only work if the dead is a bearer instrument, i.e. grants ownership of the property to whoever possesses the dead document. AFAIK property deads don't work like that.
    – bdsl
    Commented Mar 23, 2018 at 20:32
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I've got a jar full of keys to old cars, houses, apartments, offices. If I gave those to you, does that authorize you to go help yourself to that stuff?

I thought you might recognize the correct answer! A mechanism for granting ACCESS cannot be construed to also grant TITLE right of possession

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  • Well that is what I was asking
    – Trevor Clarke
    Commented Mar 25, 2016 at 21:31
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Unless you are named on the deed you're a trespasser. In my State I could kill you legally if I found you inside my home. Using your logic if I dropped a box of 100 keys marked with my address and a fellow sold each key to 100 different people would these all have an ownership interest in the property?

If I bought a key that fit your car, could I drive it off?

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