How to catch a thief in the house.

Mojisola

Lunar_Eclipse wrote: »

But I still prefer the fact you said money has gone missing instead of was stolen. I know it's semantics.

As the money has gone missing, no-one had admitted to taking it and none of it has been returned, I would say it has been stolen.

Gra76

I recently caught my eldest 'borrowing' my expensive earphones which I'd told him to leave alone as he has his own. I did it for free with 2 iphones (works with Android phones too) as follows:

Download an app called 'Presence' onto both phones.
Register both phones to your email address on Presence and verify the address.
Set one of the phones to be the 'camera'
In the settings make sure motion detection is activated
Aim the camera at the purse and sit back and wait for the culprit to be caught in the act.
The 2nd phone will get a notification sent to it within literally a second or two of picking up any motion on the 'camera' and you'll be able to view the action straight away.

Caught my eldest lad in hours doing what he promised he hadn't been doing! His face was a picture when I sat and showed him the video! Brilliant and it's free, you just need 2 phones!!

lady1964

We had this issue several years ago, money went missing from my purse on a few occasions, the first time I wasn't sure if I had spent it so said nothing as I didn't want to falsely accuse, I let it go the 2nd time but on the 3rd occasion, I spoke to DH who assured me it wasn't him, so over dinner with my 3 kids, I mentioned that money had gone missing, I think at this point around £30 or £40 & I was worried that someone was being bullied for money and if that was the case, then taking my money wasn't the right way of dealing with it. I also asked them if they thought they didn't get enough pocket money and had one of them taken it as a way of saying they felt they should get more. One did say they thought they ought to get a bit more & explained why they thought that. I said I would give it some thought but added that if the money was put back, then no more would be said unless it happened again.
The money was put back, none was ever taken again & a pocket money increase was given.
I never did find out which one had helped themselves as it never happened again & I felt they had learned a lesson about trust & speaking up if they weren't happy.

FBaby

Does your DD buy her bus fare each morning?

kaya

Permanganate of potash crystals , easily available , just look for the person with purple dyed fingers afterwards and you have found the thief

Jagraf

Lunar_Eclipse wrote: »

Yes, that is very disappointing and frustrating.

But I still prefer the fact you said money has gone missing instead of was stolen. I know it's semantics.

I agree. There's a fine line between ensuring something is learnt from this, and a child labelling themselves a thief, a it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Lunar_Eclipse

Mojisola wrote: »

As the money has gone missing, no-one had admitted to taking it and none of it has been returned, I would say it has been stolen.

I know it has and don't disagree, but I personally would choose not to use such terminology in these circumstances. It's very strong language and I think it could change behaviour for the worse (a bit like calling a child - not the behaviour - naughty or a bully: they could start to believe it ...)

pendragon_arther

Jagraf wrote: »

I absolutely love beans on toast. But otherwise I agree with your suggestion

I'll not get into a lift with you then.

pendragon_arther

Lunar_Eclipse wrote: »

I know it has and don't disagree, but I personally would choose not to use such terminology in these circumstances. It's very strong language and I think it could change behaviour for the worse (a bit like calling a child - not the behaviour - naughty or a bully: they could start to believe it ...)

When you return to the planet Earth, do you not think that remorse is a good incentive to change behaviour. That is how the system works with criminals; the thief shows shame and remorse and receives more support than otherwise. If the criminal has no remorse the behaviour pattern continues and inevitably increases.

j.e.j.

Jagraf wrote: »

I agree. There's a fine line between ensuring something is learnt from this, and a child labelling themselves a thief, a it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Well, this one's possibly a thief AND a liar:

Gra76 wrote: »

Caught my eldest lad in hours doing what he promised he hadn't been doing! His face was a picture when I sat and showed him the video! Brilliant and it's free, you just need 2 phones!!

Caught in the act :T I'd love to have been a fly on the wall.

I think I'd be making it quite clear to that person that having told such bare-faced lies, they shouldn't be surprised if they find that people don't believe what they're saying in future.