Just caught our newspaper thief

[Wall-E1]

I only have the newspaper delivered on Sundays. For the past few weeks, delivery has been spotty. I have sent emails back to the newspaper and they have credited me back the money for the missing papers. Well, my son's bedroom window is on the front side of our house. He comes into the living room a few minutes ago and tells me that someone has just taken our newspaper and is walking off with it. I rush over to the front door and swing it open to find that it is our neighbor from two houses down - a sweet old man in his seventies. I call to him and ask him - is that my newspaper? He turns around with a big smile on his face and starts trying to explain(his body shaking, voice quavering). "Oh, I accidentally threw my paper out and I just was looking for one page in the Red Plum(a coupon flyer that is included with our newspaper). I was going to put it right back...". As he was handing it back to me, I very nicely suggested that he search through his garbage for the parts that he accidentally threw out. I hate awkward confrontations with neighbors, and I didn't want to get nasty over a Sunday newspaper, but really?!?!? Stealing your neighbors' newspapers?!?!?

I'll have to email the newspaper back and let them know. I don't want the delivery person getting in trouble.

Props to my son for cracking the case.

 

[etoiles]

I hope now that you caught him it will not keep happening!

We had this happen at an apartment we lived in. One time I just couldn't take it anymore so I scooped the cat's litter box leavings into an old paper and set it out. They tried to steal it and a trail of cat litter was leading to their apartment.

Gotcha!

Edit: This did not stop the thief from continuing to steal our paper.

 

[Wall-E1]

I hope now that you caught him it will not keep happening!

He seemed thoroughly embarrassed, so hopefully that will be enough to put an end to it.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Awww, I think I would feel bad he couldn't afford the paper and would start leaving the paper in his mailbox after I was done. I know, I know I'm a big mush.

It was nice of you to not embarrass him more than he did to himself.... how humiliating.

 

[dakcp2001]

Stealing a paper is intentional and bold. I would not feel bad for this guy at all I don't care how old he is, he is still a thief. There are a lot of places you can go to read the paper for free, like the library. He stole from you, and never bothered to return the papers after.

A theif is a theif.

 

[Agri]

Awww, I think I would feel bad he couldn't afford the paper and would start leaving the paper in his mailbox after I was done. I know, I know I'm a big mush.

It was nice of you to not embarrass him more than he did to himself.... how humiliating.

Honestly, how many people in the neighborhood who got papers do you think would do that if he had *asked* in the first place instead of just stealing it?

Just because someone's old doesn't mean that its okay to pity their bad behavior.

 

[Magpie]

Honestly, how many people in the neighborhood who got papers do you think would do that if he had *asked* in the first place instead of just stealing it?

Just because someone's old doesn't mean that its okay to pity their bad behavior.

Except pity can be awesome revenge sometimes. I would totally start leaving our old papers in his mailbox! Just means less to stuff in our recycling bin.

Besides, maybe the guy's not so much "bad" as getting demented in his old age, and that would be awful for him and his family.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I get the daily paper and if someone is ripping it off I would be mad as hell. The paper is not cheap.

How ignorant of this person, I don't care how old he is. A thief is a thief.

Now I would offer that he could have my paper to look over after I got done with reading it and my coupons however I would tell him that I use the coupons in the paper.

 

[Wall-E1]

It really was awkward because this is a neighbor that I have spoken to on occasion. I don't know him real well, but he has always been friendly. A few years ago, we had a hurricane and lost power and water in our neighborhood. We headed up to Disney, as we are not accustomed to living like pioneers. Each morning, I would call this neighbor to get updates on whether power or water were restored. He really is a friendly enough guy. And had he just asked me for the paper when I was finished, I wouldn't of had any problem having my son run it over to him. My problem is that he wasn't just borrowing the paper. He has been taking it, and not returning it. Even if he had just been taking the coupon flyer out and leaving the rest, I wouldn't be annoyed. I probably wouldn't have even noticed. But he was sneaking up and stealing the entire paper.

Now it's going to be awkward every time I see him.

 

[shortbun]

I would let it go. He might be getting senile or worse. He might be broke and too embarrased to talk about it. Don't feel awkward; you already know he's a nice guy. The explanation could be more complicated than you think.

 

[Disney Doll]

You know, if he's been nice to you and you've had a nice neighborly relationship, why not give him a buzz and ask him if he'd like you to give him the paper after you're through with it? There'd be a part of me that would be feeling sorry for him because he either can't afford it or is going a little senile. Every once in a while I like to take a situation that could be awkward or hostile and turn it around. We're all so quick to jump and be negative...sometimes people are just people or they are quirky or there can be a million reasons why they do the things they do.

My parents next door neighbor was like that. They didn't have alot of money, so any "extras" were cut from their budget. My mother used to bring the paper to her every day after my parents were done with it. She really appreciated it.

 

[IDoDis]

I would let it go. He might be getting senile or worse. He might be broke and too embarrased to talk about it. Don't feel awkward; you already know he's a nice guy. The explanation could be more complicated than you think.

If he can get up every Sunday and remember to walk to the OP's house to steal the newspaper on the only day it's delivered, he doesn't sound like he's going senile! He was caught and got nervous, so knew what he was doing was wrong.

Stealing is stealing. Many people do without a newspaper these days which is why newspaper companies are going under. If he really wants to read the newspaper and can't afford it (we don't know that he can't afford it), he can go to the library when it's open and read the newspaper until his heart is content.

 

[NHdisneylover]

You know, if he's been nice to you and you've had a nice neighborly relationship, why not give him a buzz and ask him if he'd like you to give him the paper after you're through with it? There'd be a part of me that would be feeling sorry for him because he either can't afford it or is going a little senile. Every once in a while I like to take a situation that could be awkward or hostile and turn it around. We're all so quick to jump and be negative...sometimes people are just people or they are quirky or there can be a million reasons why they do the things they do.

My parents next door neighbor was like that. They didn't have alot of money, so any "extras" were cut from their budget. My mother used to bring the paper to her every day after my parents were done with it. She really appreciated it.

I think this is an excellent idea--and what I would do myself

 

[lisajl]

i would let it go. He might be getting senile or worse. He might be broke and too embarrased to talk about it. Don't feel awkward; you already know he's a nice guy. The explanation could be more complicated than you think.

ita

 

[hereyago]

For those who say he may not afford a paper: a newspaper isn't a need, it's a want. But you do not steal.


Yes, he is older, but he isn't senile to wake up every sunday and hit the same neighbor. Or maybe he is cheap and doesn't want to pay for it, but then again he could have always been cheap.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I don't think the neighbor is senile in any way; as mentioned above, he's able to repeatedly walk to the same house and take the same paper on the same day of the week, early enough (usually) to escape detection. And he was able to come up with that "one page from the RedPlum insert" either on the fly or in advance.

On the other hand, I bet his finances are REALLY tight and don't include the Sunday paper. Wall-E1, when you get over your anger and disappointment, would you consider the suggestion made by several posters here and send the paper over with your son once you're both done with it?

 

[dis-happy]

You know, if he's been nice to you and you've had a nice neighborly relationship, why not give him a buzz and ask him if he'd like you to give him the paper after you're through with it? There'd be a part of me that would be feeling sorry for him because he either can't afford it or is going a little senile. Every once in a while I like to take a situation that could be awkward or hostile and turn it around. We're all so quick to jump and be negative...sometimes people are just people or they are quirky or there can be a million reasons why they do the things they do.

My parents next door neighbor was like that. They didn't have alot of money, so any "extras" were cut from their budget. My mother used to bring the paper to her every day after my parents were done with it. She really appreciated it.

You're the kind of neighbor I'd want living on my street, DisneyDoll.

 

[Wall-E1]

I don't think the neighbor is senile in any way; as mentioned above, he's able to repeatedly walk to the same house and take the same paper on the same day of the week, early enough (usually) to escape detection. And he was able to come up with that "one page from the RedPlum insert" either on the fly or in advance.

On the other hand, I bet his finances are REALLY tight and don't include the Sunday paper. Wall-E1, when you get over your anger and disappointment, would you consider the suggestion made by several posters here and send the paper over with your son once you're both done with it?

I'm really not that mad over him stealing a few $1.25 newspapers. I'm baffled more than anything. He would have been the last person I would have thought of. And I would have no problem dropping the paper off in front of his door after I finished reading it. I probably won't however... and maybe I'm wrong in this, because I am judging him. I obviously do not know his financial situation. However, I do know that just months ago he purchased a 2010 Jaguar. I also have seen him loading his expensive looking golf clubs into the trunk of this car to play golf at our local golf/country club. That's why I'm so baffled. He doesn't appear to be someone who can't afford a Sunday paper, and would need to resort to stealing it. I guess every dollar saved is a dollar closer to his next Jaguar.

 

[hereyago]

IHowever, I do know that just months ago he purchased a 2010 Jaguar. I also have seen him loading his expensive looking golf clubs into the trunk of this car to play golf at our local golf/country club. That's why I'm so baffled. He doesn't appear to be someone who can't afford a Sunday paper, and would need to resort to stealing it. I guess every dollar saved is a dollar closer to his next Jaguar.

Ding Ding, we have a winner. He isn't senile, he is just a cheap klepto.

 

[Disnydad]

We had a paper thief years ago. I had a friend who was (and still is) a sheriffs deputy how worked our neighborhood on the midnight shift. So one night he parked nearby and caught the thief. It was a carrier for a competing paper and the guy had a back seat full of stolen papers.