Lunch thieves at work!!!?

Question

This hasn't happened to me [yet] but I find it troubling and gross. People's lunches here at work are being either completely stolen, or eaten and put back. Like someone would take a bite out of someone else's sandwich and fruits and put it back. This concern has been raised as "serious matter that grounds for dismissal" and an email memo has gone out but it hasn't stopped. I'm thinking a spy camera but any other ideas?

This might be a prankster's joke because they think it's funny. Or there are people who are just plain poor and can't afford to buy their own lunch! But whichever the case, I need ideas to put an end do this.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Make a sandwich or brownie or something with lots of ex-lax in it! A WHOLE LOT! Then leave it where they'll find it. Watch to see who keeps running to the can!

DAMN! I type too slow!

Answer 2

first of all I 've got to say that is very gross and extremely unhealthy... but I'd like to get into the mind of this sick individual who is doing this. Because the food only has bites taken out of it and then put back, instead of being totally stolen, it's sure to be a prank. Someone is getting a big thrill out of this...it's exciting to him. It gives him extreme power over everyone, he's probably watching the fridge when people open it and take the food out. He lives and is nourished not only by your food but also feeds off the reactions of other people: their shock and astonishment and anger. The more memos go out, the more threats, the more he is going to do it, the greater high he is going to get. It's like a serial killer. Once the police are after him, it becomes more and more thrilling for him to select and murder his next victim. That's why you've got to catch this person. It could just be the tip of an iceberg of a psychotic individual. Who knows, today a bite of someone else's food, tomorrow a life taken away from this world.

Here are some ideas I had.
Set up video cameras/web cams to catch him in the act.
Put some hot pepper sauce over your food -- or maybe ExLAx.
Then check out who is being sick in the bathroom.
Maybe you could rig up your lunch box so that if someone opens it, it would set off an alarm?

Hmm.. a toughie. You haven't said how many people you suspect of doing this, maybe try to narrow it down

Answer 3

There is a serious problem here. Either someone is so poor that this job is not providing for them adequately and they NEED to steal to eat. If that is the case, pack a simple lunch a sandwich and some milk and put it in a bag marked "Free Lunch -Take it if you need it". This will stop the unfortunate one from stealing and get you brownie points with yourself. If the person is just immoral and not unfortunate, then they will probably pass the free lunch up in favor of stealing because that is what immoral people do, in that case, i hope y'all nail him!

Answer 4

Well a hungry worker will not be able to work as productive as normal. So whoever is doing this is interuppting the work day and hurting buisness. I would not place a hidden camera in the break room but a very noticable camera.

Another fun thing you could do is lace a lunch bag or box with glow in the dark transferable ink, many security companies use this liquid, it will show up under a special light.

Answer 5

They had this same problem at my old job - when they finally caught the guy who was stealing the lunches they fired him - turns out he was the father of 6, his wife was in the hospital, he had no medical insurance, and he was doing all he could to take care of the kids all day, pay his bills, make sure they were feed and doing without himself. Seems to me they should have taken up a collection for the guy instead of firing him!! Pack an extra lunch - write on it for the lunch thief - and see what happens - if the extra gets taken everyday you will know that someone is desperate - if someone else does someone is messing around!

Answer 6

Buy a flask and an insulated container and keep it at your desk. It sounds like someone is doing this as a prank. Maybe it is time for your company to invest in a lunch room supervisor for a short period of time. Put up signs in plain view for people to see that this action will not be tolerated and it is being monitored. Can you buy your lunch outside of your work? Thank you for your question.

Answer 7

One idea is to taint the food. It may sound mean but is it possible to use laxatives in some recipes? (I don't know because I've never tried it). If that's possible then you could do that and suggest to some co-workers that they do the same. It might be a good deterrent to the theif. If the theif keeps getting food that makes him/her run to the bathroom, he/she is more likely to stop. oops....... looks like a couple people already thought of that. hmmm........ Don't have other ideas then. Sorry.

Also wanted to say that the spy cam is a good idea.

Answer 8

Do NOT use the ex-lax on anything.

If someone has a tartrazine allergy, high blood pressure, kidney problems, or heart trouble ... the ex-lax could make them seriously ill (as in need a kidney transplant) or even kill them.

Buy a cheap insulated lunch bag and keep your lunch in your desk.

Answer 9

People will do anything if they can get away with it...If they are at work dear, they should be able to buy something to eat. I feel that you and a few other people, prank the pranker buy making a turd sandwich(or something disgusting to an extreme effect). This should fix the perpetrator.

Answer 10

You could leave strategically placed lunch boxes that have a security powder inside - that if the person opens up the lunch box he or she gets themselves covered with a powdered dye which is very difficult to wash off.