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How to Catch a Lunch Thief

Thứ bảy - 27/04/2024 00:20

Lunch stealing is a common problem, particularly in offices with community refrigerators. If you've been the victim of a thief, you likely want to catch the thief. Of course, you should alert your boss that it's happening, but you can also...

Table of contents

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Using Tricks to Catch a Thief

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Eye people's trash. You can catch some thieves by checking people's trash. Of course, you can't go digging around in people's trash cans. That's much too obvious. However, you can go and chat with co-workers right after a lunch when food was stolen. Some people just throw the remains in their own trash, even if they took it.^{[1] X Research source}
- You may think that someone is too dumb to throw the trash away in their office. However, some people steal out of a sense of entitlement and have no problem throwing it away there, particularly if they're the boss.

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No, you shouldn't contaminate the food with something that could cause sickness. Rather, when someone eats your food, send out an office email saying, "To whoever ate my food: I just found out the peanut butter in it has been recalled, and it can make you sick. You should seek medical attention." Once in a blue moon, the thief may confess just to find out what the "contamination" does.^{[2] X Research source}
You can also leave a note instead.

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One way to catch a thief is to spice your food with something particularly hot, such as a ghost pepper. You should be able to tell who ate it, as that person will end up sweating and probably need lots of water. If you spike your food this way, make sure to keep an eye out around the office.
Keep in mind, you could face some legal ramifications with this tactic, particularly if it harms the person in some way (such as they are allergic to peppers).

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One option is a nanny camera, as you can find those relatively cheap. Hide it in the kitchen, and leave it on video. The next time someone steals food, check the camera to see who did the stealing. Of course, you'll need to find a camera that can be plugged in, or you'll need to charge it.^{[3] X Research source}
You'll need your boss's permission for this option. Keep in mind that it could be your boss who is stealing your food, so that could cause a problem.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Employing a Stakeout

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You're going to need more than one person to stage a stakeout, as you can't hang out in the lunchroom all the time. Therefore, talk to some of your friends at work, and make an agreement to "cover" the lunchroom, meaning that you stagger lunches so that one of you is in there at all during lunch.^{[4] X Research source}

Step 2 Pay attention to who is eating what.

Once you've staked out the lunchroom, keep an eye on what's being eating by whom. If you notice someone is taking something that doesn't belong to them, you've caught the person who's stealing the food, or at least one of them. This step works best if food is labelled, so you can see who it belongs to.^{[5] X Research source}

If only a few of you are in the office late at night, listen to hear who's going in the kitchen. Food is more likely to be stolen when fewer people are around. If you hear someone in the kitchen, go investigate. You don't have to confront the person, just see what they are eating. You may know who it belongs to. If it's not them, you have your thief.^{[6] X Research source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Trying Deterrents

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You could send out an office memo talking about why that food is important due to dietary restrictions. In other words, if you can't eat that food, you won't be able to eat because you have a strict diet or food allergies and can't pick up food just anywhere.^{[7] X Research source}
You could also leave a note on the fridge instead of sending an email.

Ask your boss if you can post rules about office food on the fridge. For instance, one rule could be, "Don't eat food that's not yours unless clearly marked." Another rule could be "Label all food with a name and a date." Rules may deter a few people.^{[8] X Research source}

While it won't stop someone from taking your food, it may cause some people to think twice if your food is labelled with your name. That way, it puts a face on the problem, and they have to think about stealing your food rather than just "someone's" food.^{[9] X Research source}

However, labeling your food can backfire, depending on the reason the person is stealing. For example, if the person steals as a way to get retribution on someone they don't like, and you happen to be someone they don't like, labeling the food just tells them whose is whose.