Hoping lunch thief will learn a lesson - Update Post #26

[ols386]

The goal wasn't to get the thief, but to make it stop. Since it stopped, it worked.

Actually catching the theif was a bonus.

I thought it stopped because they caught the thief on video?

If that's the case, putting pepper or whatever in the food, isn't what made it stop.

 

[Mermaid02]

OP- Was the accused "CakeNapper" confronted?

 

[ols386]

OP- Was the accused "CakeNapper" confronted?

LOL!! I like that, "CapeNapper".

 

[mefordis]

I like the idea of making the snack cake inedible. However, I hope this doesn't mark your dd. If it the burnout crowd I am picturing, I am just hoping nothing happens.

Maybe your dd should have just went ahead and kept the snack cake in her pocket instead of having it in her lunch box?

 

[tiggersbombed2]

For cryin' out loud, this is a middle school student we are talking about here...somewhere around 14 or so? A kid this age knows darn well they are stealing and doing wrong. A little mouth burn from some cayenne pepper would have done this kid some good.

Maybe she'd think twice about being a dirty, sneaky, little thief with a mouthful of yuck. Then again, maybe she'd just wash it down with a shot of tequila from her locker.

 

[horseshowmom]

I think what the OP did was great because it taught the thief a lesson! Let me just say that when my child was in 1st grade she would sometimes come home from school with little things like pencils, erasers etc. She kept telling me that someone gave them to her. Well one day she came home with a wallet and said she got it from a prize box at school which I immediately knew was a lie especially since it had 5 dollars in it! It made me look back at all the things she brought home before and made me realize that she most likely took those too. In all fairness she was 6 years old and we all know when a child this age sees something they like they take it and don't think of it as stealing. Well I was so upset about it and I didn't know what to do but I knew I had to nip this in the bud while I had the chance! I then had the idea to go to my local police station with her in tow and had a police officer talk to her about the consequences of stealing! A little harsh maybe but she is almost 9 now and has never taken a thing since! Then the next day I called the principal of the school to let her and my child's teacher know that I had the wallet so that it got returned to it's rightful owner. I just hope I didn't traumatize her!

I don't blame you a bit and since she hasn't been incarcerated, it sounds like you didn't damage her too much!

I do disagree just a little bit. That fact that she lied to you about where she got the stuff does show that she knew she was stealing. I would have viewed it like you did though - as something to be looked at seriously and stopped immediately.

You wouldn't believe how many parents will look at their child's teacher or principal when presented with evidence and say, "MY child would never steal anything!" Ohhh, famous last words and not doing their child any favors.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

Since all you did was make the food "taste bad" I dont' see a problem. If somebody steals a lunch they don't like, it's not the victims fault.

OP I love it! HAHA!! I hope she went right to a bathroom stall and crammed the whole thing in her mouth! That'll teach her!

It looks like some parents on this thread now have a new teaching tool.

"Hunny you really shouldn't steal somebody's lunch because there are truly horrible people out there who don't like that and will put *gasp* pepper in it!! So if you're going to do it you have to be smart about it. Steal Suzy's on Monday and Billie's on Tuesday etc. Oh and if you get something that tastes really bad you just let Momma know and I'll make sure those meanies get into big trouble!"




And can I just say that I hope my kids never have their lunches stolen because if bad tasting food was a reason to get in trouble I may be looking at some serious jail time!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Right, it wasn't stated whether the thief was in the dd's class or not. That's why it was inaccurate to state as you did that the thief wasn't in the dd's class. You said the thief was someone not in the class, who entered while the class was in the greenhouse.

We all make mistakes!

Ultimately I was wrong. Does that make you feel better?

Based on the information provided at the time, I wasn't wrong when I made that statement.

 

[Mermaid02]

For cryin' out loud, this is a middle school student we are talking about here...somewhere around 14 or so? A kid this age knows darn well they are stealing and doing wrong. A little mouth burn from some cayenne pepper would have done this kid some good.

Maybe she'd think twice about being a dirty, sneaky, little thief with a mouthful of yuck. Then again, maybe she'd just wash it down with a shot of tequila from her locker.

I like you.