How to Handle an Anonymous Lunch Thief Without Cameras?
Are you dealing with a lunch thief at your workplace? Do you have multiple reports of food items going missing but no way to install cameras in the lunchrooms?
### The Dilemma
– No cameras available
– Several reports of stolen food
– Need a solution
### Possible Solutions
1. Implement a lunchbox labeling system
2. Hold a meeting to discuss the issue as a team
3. Set up a rotating lunch monitor schedule
4. Put up signs about lunchroom etiquette
What would you do in this situation? Share your thoughts and ideas on how to catch the mystery lunch thief!
#LunchThief #OfficeProblems #SolveTheMystery #WorkplaceDilemma #BrainstormingIdeas
Dye pack in a bait lunchbox. (Sorry I’m feeling chaotic today)Â
Buy everyone branded lunchboxes with double zipper pulls, then give everyone locks. If you can monogram the bags or put people’s names on them, all the better. People love branded swag, in my experience and it will stop the theft pretty immediately.
Memo/signs “Theft of personal property, including food, is punishable by immediate termination”. Some people have allergies or dietary restrictions/diabetes.
You can stick a battery operated ring doorbell anywhere.
Locked lunch box, or a thermal box you keep with you.
Copious amounts of ex lax in some bait snacks. Fuck them. Also there’s a sub called unethical life pro tips, you can start there.
There’s also an illegal life pro tips, maybe don’t start there.
If they are caught fire them
Fun answers aside (I’m partial to stool softener and laxatives combined), the honest answer is you either monitor the lunchroom now, or send out a company-wide note that there’s a lunch thief and if it doesn’t stop you WILL start monitoring the fridge and discipline or fire the thief.
I have a lunch bag that has pockets for ice packs. You don’t need to keep your lunch in the fridge where it’s unsupervised since I keep the lunch bag at my cubicle. I’ve never had my lunch stolen before, but never used the break room fridge either. I highly recommend this since coworkers are less likely to snoop and steal from your cubicle.
Glitter bomb lunchbox
I suggest sending the email that others have suggested, but phrasing it with the understanding that the thief might genuinely be food poor. Obviously you can’t tolerate theft, but you might be perceived better coming from a place of compassion. Maybe even institute a free fruit bowl for all staff?
Mix the dye into the food so their mouth is stained
Dear Team,
Let’s play a game. One of the lunchboxes in each of the staff break rooms has been liberally dosed with pharmaceutical grade laxative.
If you eat your own lunch, you’re safe.
If you eat someone else’s, you will find yourself in the WC for the rest of the day and your pink slip on the door when you come out.
Love,
HR
Clearly you need to stake out the break room.
Create a full on deer blind in the ceiling, along with traps to drop a net on the thief.
Well, I helped a friend with this once, so I can tell you some of what we did but this was 15 years ago and you should look up your local laws, etc
1) Make sure your employee policy/handbook states that “All personal items INCLUDING FOOD in the workplace must be labeled with the employee’s name. All unlabeled food/personal items are subject to disposal at any time. Using/taking/consuming any item INCLUDING FOOD that is not yours is considered stealing and may result in immediate termination as well as being reported to the police” type of thing, requiring all food be labeled prevents the excuse “I thought it was mine” especially for common items like frozen meals, soft drinks, etc
If you’re feeling spicy you could include a note about how any employee who uses glitter bombs, dye packs, laxatives, etc. in the office will be responsible for cleaning and property damage fees, which is really more about scaring the thief into considering some of the embarrassing ways they could get caught
2) Make sure the policy includes the correct process for reporting the theft of personal items, as well as the procedure if someone actively catches an employee “in the act”
3)Post the policy on the refrigerator, cabinets, doors, etc and email it out to every employee. In the email include the info for any employee assistance programs, food banks, link to the application for food stamps, etc
4) Document each incident including as much information as possible. With enough info you might be able to narrow down the suspect pool
For me, a sign that says “Theft of lunch food is the same as theft of lunch money or anything else, and is grounds for immediate termination.”
That has usually put a stop to it. Some people justify in their mind that it’s not really stealing. I try to take that argument away from them.
Ghost peppers and laxatives.
You’ll know who it is pretty quickly
Had this problem and decided to stop bringing lunch and eventually quit.
Not answering your question because all I can hear is Ross in Friends saying “MYYYYYY SANDWICH?!” 🤣
Honestly, I’d put laxatives in my lunch and wait for the person to eat it…
Get some Thai food and order it Thai hot. Put it in the employee fridge and you’ll find out who stole it. Since you haven’t altered the food, the guilty party can’t claim you poisoned them and sue, like they can if you use laxatives.
We had this problem years ago. Talked with some trusted staff and managers and were able to narrow it down to a high possibility of two employees.
We first sent out an email basically saying food was missing, theft would be automatic termination, and that we were there to help support any needs. We also provided links and info to local food banks and the like.
Then we met with the two we suspected and their manager – you could tell they thought they were being terminated- said there were some concerned and offered our support and assistance. Neither mentioned anything particularly serious.
We kept an eye on them, food thrift slowed but still happened. A few months later we termed both. One for performance and the other because they kept asking other employees to borrow money.
The thrift completely stopped after they were gone.
Point is, you can probably identify who is doing it and take steps without catching them red handed.