stolen mugs, pilfered lunches, and missing iPads: let’s discuss office thefts

You’d like to think you can trust the people you work around, but in reality office thefts are surprisingly common.

From the coworker who stole someone’s spicy food and got sick (and the epic update), to the manager who stole someone’s family heirloom, to the boss who stole an employee’s iPad, to the boss who kept stealing lunches, office thieving happens more than you’d expect.

And some of the thefts are shockingly petty:

• “I have a Bath and Body eucalyptus (mini) hand sanitizer next to my computer. Turns out someone has used it up, then refilled it with water so it wouldn’t look like it was used. It costs a buck.”

• “I had someone steal my pyrex dish once. They dumped my lunch out into a little baggy, put that back in the fridge, and stole my dang dish. WHO DOES THAT!?”

• “Someone in the office even stole a coworker’s mug! He had left it on the counter while he went to the bathroom before he got his coffee and it was gone when he came back. TWO YEARS LATER he found it soaking in the sink after the thief had used it and promptly ‘stole’ it back. He was very excited.”

And then of course, there’s food theft, which could be a whole category of its own:

• “My partner put a note on his milk in the fridge that said ‘I drink from the container’ thinking it would stop people from stealing it. He came in the next day to discover half of it was gone and a note taped under his with ‘I do, too!’ and a happy face.”

So let’s talk office thefts — petty and not-so-petty. What have you found stolen at work? Even better, if you’ve been the perpetrator, now is the time to confess anonymously. Please share in the comments!

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