Who's eating my lunch????

Top_Girl

liney wrote: »

Except none of those things are noxious - poisonous, toxic or dangerous. So on what grounds would a claim be made?

We're on the same side liney.

To prove that she had intentionally doctored her own food to cause harm to another with a non-noxious substance would be hard work to say the least.

Top_Girl

Nicki wrote: »

Laxatives and unfit meat definitely count. Pet food may or may not. The legal definition is anything which might injure. There have been convictions for things like prescription slimming pills and laxatives in UK courts.

I'm entitled to take laxatives or eat unfit meat if I choose to.

If someone steals them from me, that's hardly my fault.

silverwhistle

Top_Girl wrote: »

To prove that she had intentionally doctored her own food to cause harm to another with a non-noxious substance would be hard work to say the least.

.. and the complainant would be admitting to theft..

coolcait

yvonne13 wrote: »

This is what I don't get....The food is mine and however I decided to cook it is my business, so why would I be accused of going out to cause harm when I shouldn't have to put up with people stealing my food.

The fact is that you would be going out to cause harm by putting laxatives in the food. You would be doing it with the deliberate intention of causing harm to the person who is stealing your food.


It's possible that you're a good enough liar to brazen your way through any questioning about the issue - though that would probably take a lot of practice at lying.


If you're not that good a liar, or if anyone else in the office has heard you talk about your lunch getting stolen, then you could end up in as much !!!! as the food thief.


If you want to identify the food thief, then it's better to use one of the 'harmless' methods, like excess garlic, or a food colouring/staining spice.

Nicki

Top_Girl wrote: »

Any decent solicitor would have this thrown out in a nanosecond.

Are they going to prove she intentionally doctored her own food, with the reasonable expectation that someone other than she would eat it?

The link I have was to a police detective who was convicted. I'd have thought in his professional life he came across a fair few "decent solicitors" and money would have been no object as the police federation would have been paying his legal fees.

Why would you render food you intended to eat yourself harmful? How could a solicitor whether decent or not explain that away? The idea you would administer a laxative to yourself midway during a working day is hardly credible and I can't see any judge, magistrate or jury believing it for a second.

yvonne13_2

Nicki wrote: »

These are the criminal consequences for you if you adulterate your own food stored in a communal fridge to punish or catch a workplace thief

http://crimeandjustice.co.uk/2013/04/02/serving-mps-dc-pleads-guilty-to-administering-a-noxious-substance/

Up to you whether it's worth losing your job and going to prison for. Personally I'd go for sellotaping the box up or leaving it under your desk with your elderflower cordial until lunchtime.

Wait a minute I never said once I was going to put anything in my food which I couldn't consume myself. That's like saying I put peanuts in my salad on purpose to catch a thief whom could have allergies. So if they end up in hospital that's their problem.

If someone is hungry then they should ask for credit in the dining room to get something to eat until they get paid simple as.

silverwhistle

You could use Bitrex: it's the harmless stuff they put in household chemicals to prevent kids ingesting stuff. It doesn't cause harm, although it might cause some obnoxious behaviour such as the culprit spitting out all the contents of their mouth..

melanzana

Unfortunately this happened in our communal kitchen aswell. I got so fed up that I now make and freeze my sandwiches, and use coffee mate instead of milk.

The frozen sandwich is fully defrosted in my desk drawer by lunchtime. Add a bit of fruit and it's great. No theft!

System

I think a sandwich with a ghost chilli and wasabi paste is the best idea.

liney

After careful consideration, i'm still in favor of iffy prawns. Everyone has had 'in-date' iffy prawns... Not even slightly suspicious.

Or buy a lunch bag you can lock. Something like this bag could have a suitcase lock pushed through it. http://www.allthingsforsale.com/bento-box-lunch-box/1586-high-quality-microwavable-airtight-2pcs-bento-lunch-boxes-set-lovelybluegreen-8803733754026.html