Would you call the police for this?

[MushyMushy]

DS called me from school -- his jacket got stolen from a classroom. As if that wasn't bad enough, it had my keys in it. My house keys, car keys, my dad's house keys, his truck key, and the remote car door opener. If we don't get those keys back, we're going to have to get all those locks changed! It's such a small town, and everyone knows what everyone else drives and where everyone else lives. Oh, and the reason he had his jacket with him in class is because he has to walk over to the vo-tech afterwards, so the vo-tech kids usually keep their jackets with them rather than in their lockers.

The office isn't being very helpful, so I suggested to DS that he have the office call the police. He thinks I'm being ridiculous, but all of that is going to cost us quite a bit of money!

Do you think I'm overreacting?

 

[freckles and boo]

If he is SURE it was stolen and not just misplaced, yes, I would call the police and file a report.

 

[Ronda93]

Yes, call the police. Unless they have an open campus/open lunch, the jacket is still at school.

Make a fuss.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

You are not overreacting. A crime was committed against your son and, as you say, it will costr a lot of money to get everything straightened out.

And how many otheres have had stuff stolen from that classroom.

And if the school does not want to contact the police, not only should you contact them but talk to your local newspaper about the situation.

 

[cruellababy]

How horrible; yes, call them.

 

[C&G'sMama]

If the school won't report it, than you should. Happened to my brother's daughter several years ago. Her backpack was stolen and it had one of those expensive graphing calulators in it. The principal blew it off and said oh well. DB called police. Backpack was returned with the calculator. Principal wasn't happy. Principal didn't do his job.

Sorry but very passionate about accountability of adminstrators in our schools and how their inactions affect our community as a whole.

 

[momrek06]

DS called me from school -- his jacket got stolen from a classroom. As if that wasn't bad enough, it had my keys in it. My house keys, car keys, my dad's house keys, his truck key, and the remote car door opener. If we don't get those keys back, we're going to have to get all those locks changed! It's such a small town, and everyone knows what everyone else drives and where everyone else lives. Oh, and the reason he had his jacket with him in class is because he has to walk over to the vo-tech afterwards, so the vo-tech kids usually keep their jackets with them rather than in their lockers.

The office isn't being very helpful, so I suggested to DS that he have the office call the police. He thinks I'm being ridiculous, but all of that is going to cost us quite a bit of money!

Do you think I'm overreacting?

Yikes, OP, why did your DS have all those keys/remote with him?


Here is hoping the jacket shows back up.

 

[rigs32]

I'm a prosecutor and I've handled cases like that. The person is arrested for petty larceny (well, this is in NY). And I have offered a reduction if the person pays restitution for the costs incurred by the missing items. Even if the keys are returned, we couldn't tell if copies were made, so I still requested the restitution. YMMV, of course.

 

[MushyMushy]

Yikes, OP, why did your DS have all those keys/remote with him?


Here is hoping the jacket shows back up.

That's a good question. I'd lay into him for it, but he already feels bad enough. I made him his own key chain with just a leather fob and the car key. But MY key chain is better -- it has my special Disney key chains, and a WVU house key, and the remote. You'd think he wouldn't be caught dead with my Disney key chains.

I won't even whine over the lost Disney key chains or ya'll would laugh at me. But I guess you could consider this my whine. WAHHH, my Disney key chains are gone!!!

 

[CajunDixie]

If he's still in school I'd call the police before school releases. Maybe someone just thought it would be a joke to make him think he misplaced it. Or maybe someone recognized it as your sons jacket and has it. But if the principal won't do anything about it you have no choice but to call the police to help you out.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I would file a report. What if someone does break into your house and steal something (or one of the cars)? You file a police report then or a claim against your insurance and they're both going to want to know why they weren't informed earlier.

 

[LuvOrlando]

-

 

[ols386]

I would file a report. What if someone does break into your house and steal something (or one of the cars)? You file a police report then or a claim against your insurance and they're b
oth going to want to know why they weren't informed earlier.

You could call the police, but I'm not sure what they can do at this point in time. Your son probably wouldn't begin to know who "possibly" might have stolen the coat. But if you contact the police, at least it's been reported in case anything happens in the future...like if someone has the keys, knows where you live, and decides to come into your home when you are gone, and steals items, even then, the police still probably wouldn't know who it is.

 

[momrek06]

Out of curiousity, OP, what kind of a jacket was it?? Was it one of those North Face fleeces all the kiddos want or.....?

I mean is it one that if someone else dared to wear it, you would know immediately it was DS' jacket.

If this jacket was stolen out of the classroom and you know what time it was stolen....you might be able to do the math and figure what classes were indeed in there. Also, what about DS' friends...did any of them see anything at all and maybe one of them might help in spotting it if they saw it somewhere on school grounds.

 

[twinklebug]

Call the office, talk to the secretary to make sure the keys haven't been turned in - someone might have waited a day to do so as those offices usually close early.

Most high schools (and even middle schools) these days have an officer on duty. Ask to talk with the officer and he or she will advise you on your best approach. They deal with kids all day every day and have a solid handle on what sort of trouble they're up to as well as if there's been a rash of stolen items.

If your keys are missing for more than a day I'd assume they've been copied unless they're turned in with a solid explanation ("My DS thought the other boy's jacket was his" sort of thing).

Your big problem is that even if the person with the keys doesn't know where you live, if they cruise the neighborhood attempting to unlock cars in the driveway they'll find you fast enough.

To me, the missing jacket sounds like an honest mistake. What kid will wear a jacket they stole at school to school?

 

[NotUrsula]

Lord, yes, I'd call the cops. These days, car keys are easily $100 each to replace, and if you replace one of them you have to recode all of them so that the alarm won't lock the car. If those keys are anywhere in that school I'd want them found.

 

[momrek06]

There was an incident at my DS' h.s. many years ago. DS is 25yo now. His friends jacket was stolen. The friend had it in the lockers in the gym while he was at football practice. The family was so mad at their DS as this was a very $$$ sporting jacket that they had bought in another state for him. I am thinking a FL team jacket and we live in MA.

It never turned up. 3 months later the dad is driving downtown and saw the jacket on an adult male about 35-ish. The dad was he knew that was his son's jacket. He pulled over and approached the man.

You will never believe what happened.........the man wearing the jacket said it was HIS jacket that his Dad gave it to him a few months ago (the exact time the jacket was stolen)..........this 35yo man's Dad is the high school janitor!!!!!

Yup, the JANITOR stole/took (whatever you want to call it) the jacket and brought it home for his 35yo son!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MushyMushy]

OMG. So, what happened? Did the guy give your DH the jacket? Was he embarrassed? That must have been so awkward for both your DH and the guy!

Isn't that ridiculous? I know that teachers have to keep things locked up, not because of the students, but because other teachers will "borrow" them. Teachers with mobile classrooms (have to use carts and go from class to class because they don't have their own room to work in) have to keep those carts with them the entire time they're in the building because other teachers will take the actual CART!

If you can't trust the adults, how can you expect any better from the kids?

Anyway, the good news is, his jacket was found! Whoever took it left it in woodshop, and the keys are there as well. DH had called the school at lunch and when he mentioned the police, the secretary said she'd make an announcement. I'm not sure if the jacket was "found" before or after the announcement, but I'm just glad it was!

 

[momrek06]

OMG. So, what happened? Did the guy give your DH the jacket? Was he embarrassed? That must have been so awkward for both your DH and the guy!



Anyway, the good news is, his jacket was found! Whoever took it left it in woodshop, and the keys are there as well. DH had called the school at lunch and when he mentioned the police, the secretary said she'd make an announcement. I'm not sure if the jacket was "found" before or after the announcement, but I'm just glad it was!

No, no....this young man was DS' friend and it was HIS dad that saw the coat on this 35yo man as he drove through our town........

The dad (telling us) said he was flipping out when he saw this 35yo man with the coat on BECAUSE he KNEW that this 35yo man's father was our h.s. JANITOR!!!!!!!!! Bottomline, the family got their coat back!!!
And the janitor was never prosecuted as he INSISTED the coat was in the lost&found for a long time and when no one claimed it, he took it for his own son!!!



YEAH!!! The coat is found!!! I am going to guess a student took it by mistake!!