Help! My Lunch Keeps Getting Stolen at Work—by the CEO.
Q. Our CEO Keeps Eating Our Lunches!: My co-workers and I have all been victims of a lunch thief over the last couple of months. We’ve tried putting notes and signs on our lunches asking people to please leave them alone, we’ve spiked our lunches with hot sauce or pepper in an attempt to make them unappealing (which also leaves them inedible for us), but the lunch thief has still been striking a couple of times a week. This was brought up at our last company-wide meeting, with dire consequences promised if it doesn’t stop. After having his lunch stolen three times in one week one of my co-workers installed a hidden camera in our break room. It only took two days to catch someone stealing a lunch and it was our CEO! Only three of us know it is him, and my co-worker has it recorded, but we are not sure what to do about this now. Our co-worker doesn’t want to turn this over to HR all by himself, but my other co-worker and I are really hesitant about turning in our CEO. I don’t want to lose my job over this! Should we turn him in, or destroy the evidence and invest in insulated lunch boxes instead?
A: I wonder if stealing subordinates’ lunches correlates with other activities, like embezzlement? Maybe the boss’ sandwich thievery is not just a cry for a BLT, but for help. However, you seem to have supplied the answer to whether or not to report in your own letter. The spying co-worker doesn’t want to tell HR alone, and you don’t want to join him. I also want to raise the possibility that setting up a covert operation in the office—even though you caught the thief—might itself be grounds for termination. Of course the boss, who in stealing your cheese and crackers sounds a little crackers, shouldn’t be doing this. But he has hiring and firing power and all of you who know want to stay out of the line of fire. It sounds as if insulated lunch boxes in a desk drawer is a good solution.
Q. Re: Thieving CEO: If the video doesn’t in any way show who set it up, then why not put it on a jump drive and send it to the CEO via inner office mail? Or set up a dummy email account and email him the clip. Chance are if he knows he’s been caught, he’ll stop.
A: Ah, no. Notifying an office thief he’s been caught by being surreptitious yourself (and potentially violating some policy or law) is not the way to go.
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The Principle of Least Interest: He who cares least about a relationship, controls it.
If the video didn't show anyone setting it up, I would totally send it to both HR AND the CEO from an anonymous email address and not from a work computer. I would also be looking for another job because I wouldn't want to work for an azz hole like that.
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Out of all the lies I have told, "just kidding" is my favorite !
If the video didn't show anyone setting it up, I would totally send it to both HR AND the CEO from an anonymous email address and not from a work computer. I would also be looking for another job because I wouldn't want to work for an azz hole like that.
Finding another job can be very difficult, and a new place can have even worse *******s in charge.
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The Principle of Least Interest: He who cares least about a relationship, controls it.
If the video didn't show anyone setting it up, I would totally send it to both HR AND the CEO from an anonymous email address and not from a work computer. I would also be looking for another job because I wouldn't want to work for an azz hole like that.
Finding another job can be very difficult, and a new place can have even worse *******s in charge.
That's true. But I would still be looking.
They had a fricking company meeting where people were threatened to quit stealing lunches and the CEO kept doing it anyway. Someone innocent person could lose their job over this because the CEO wants to eat other people's lunches.
Yeah...I would be polishing my resume and putting out feelers.
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Out of all the lies I have told, "just kidding" is my favorite !
Q. Re: CEO: I worked at a company many years ago in which an inquisition was taking place over telephone sex line calls. The CFO was going from desk to desk confronting individuals about the charges. I told her to stop: I was sure it was the CEO, who was traveling at the time. She blanched a bit but I convinced her to call him. He urged her to stop the inquisition immediately and ’fessed up.
A: I love the image of someone rushing out of the C-suite to confront everyone in the cubicles over whether they are making dirty phone calls. Glad the top guy confessed!
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The Principle of Least Interest: He who cares least about a relationship, controls it.
I don't know why anyone would put anything in a communal fridge. Ever.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I put mine in the fridge every day but there are only 4 of us here. We also have been known to trade lunches or share lunches so it's a little different.
Watch for the CEO to enter the break room and remove a lunch from the fridge. Send whoever the lunch belongs to into the CEO's office to ask a question. Catch CEO redhanded and act aghast.
I don't know why anyone would put anything in a communal fridge. Ever.
Did it for 18 years at this company and never had a problem. And if they someone was stealing lunches, I'm confident that they would be fired on the spot.
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
And the only communal fridges I've ever had access to were in plants. Lots of skevvy people in and out of those.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I use the communal fridge every day. Only ever had one issue and that was the day the office manager decided it was getting too gross and decided to clean it all out - which included my lunch. But, she doesn't do that now without warning - I don't respond well when I'm hangry.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
Working in a sample company or manufacturing plant, you don't know who will do what and when.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I use the communal fridge every day. Only ever had one issue and that was the day the office manager decided it was getting too gross and decided to clean it all out - which included my lunch. But, she doesn't do that now without warning - I don't respond well when I'm hangry.
In the office I worked in, we had a sign that got put up a few days before cleaning to warn everyone the date and time of the cleaning (usually a Friday afternoon). Also, the different departments took turns cleaning it out. Although most departments were only 1 or 2 people so it was always the same people cleaning it.
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Out of all the lies I have told, "just kidding" is my favorite !
I use the communal fridge every day. Only ever had one issue and that was the day the office manager decided it was getting too gross and decided to clean it all out - which included my lunch. But, she doesn't do that now without warning - I don't respond well when I'm hangry.
I did that right before Christmas. But about 2 weeks before, I posted a bright, could not be missed, sign on the door that said that on Dec 23rd, EVERYTHING would be tossed. Very few people were here, and there was another fridge they could use for that day. I tossed everything. I didn't even open the plastic containers. There was an orange in there that was completely hollow. I think it had been in there over 5 years.
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
We clean out our fridge every Friday afternoon. Obviously we don't toss the condiments but make sure there are no leftovers or forgottens left over the weekend.
My coworker had her zipped lunch tote in the fridge a few weeks ago and someone stole a whole can of pringles out of it. People at my job will steal your last bite if they feel like it. It's disgusting.
As for the OP. I would leave an anonymous note on a bag of food offering it to CEO saying it was for him so he wouldn't have to steal someone else's food.
I use the communal fridge every day. Only ever had one issue and that was the day the office manager decided it was getting too gross and decided to clean it all out - which included my lunch. But, she doesn't do that now without warning - I don't respond well when I'm hangry.
Is that "hungry" said with a southern twang?
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
People shouldn't have to rearrange their routines to accommodate a thief. Yes, we could all pack lunches and keep them in our desks locked up or on our own little mini fridges, but to me the better solution would be to take care of the actual PROBLEM, the thief, and not have to worry about hiding my lunch.
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Was it a bad day?
Or was it a bad five minutes that you milked all day?
I use the communal fridge every day. Only ever had one issue and that was the day the office manager decided it was getting too gross and decided to clean it all out - which included my lunch. But, she doesn't do that now without warning - I don't respond well when I'm hangry.
Is that "hungry" said with a southern twang?
No. That's when you're so hungry you're angry.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I just don't understand how anyone could do this to another person. You know you didn't pack that lunch. You know it's not there for everyone to help themselves. What kind of selfish monster steals someone's sandwich?
I use the communal fridge every day. Only ever had one issue and that was the day the office manager decided it was getting too gross and decided to clean it all out - which included my lunch. But, she doesn't do that now without warning - I don't respond well when I'm hangry.
Is that "hungry" said with a southern twang?
No. That's when you're so hungry you're angry.
Now that is a good point!
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
I just don't understand how anyone could do this to another person. You know you didn't pack that lunch. You know it's not there for everyone to help themselves. What kind of selfish monster steals someone's sandwich?
I know. Not only is it selfish and rude, but I don't think I could do it because it seems yucky too. Someone else's fingers were all over that sandwich when they were making it.. why would I want it?
I just don't understand how anyone could do this to another person. You know you didn't pack that lunch. You know it's not there for everyone to help themselves. What kind of selfish monster steals someone's sandwich?
I know. Not only is it selfish and rude, but I don't think I could do it because it seems yucky too. Someone else's fingers were all over that sandwich when they were making it.. why would I want it?
right?????
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
Some people, no matter their means or status, get a thrill from stealing from others. Simply, protect yourself and leave nothing at work out of your sight.
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
I just don't understand how anyone could do this to another person. You know you didn't pack that lunch. You know it's not there for everyone to help themselves. What kind of selfish monster steals someone's sandwich?
I know. Not only is it selfish and rude, but I don't think I could do it because it seems yucky too. Someone else's fingers were all over that sandwich when they were making it.. why would I want it?
Some people, no matter their means or status, get a thrill from stealing from others. Simply, protect yourself and leave nothing at work out of your sight.
That doesn't mean they shouldn't be held accountable for their actions
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Was it a bad day?
Or was it a bad five minutes that you milked all day?
Some people, no matter their means or status, get a thrill from stealing from others. Simply, protect yourself and leave nothing at work out of your sight.
That doesn't mean they shouldn't be held accountable for their actions
No of course not. But seriously, in a small company, what are you going to do? The CEO is typically owner/ owner's kid / Uncle, etc. They won't be fired.
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
In my office we'd get a kick out of ribbing the Prez if we caught him with our lunch. I like a certain kind of pen, so I buy them for myself. The plant manager keeps stealing my pens anytime I need something signed. Once, the Prez used his pen and commented about liking it and asking where he got it. Plant manger shrugged, I piped up and said he stole it from me. All had a good laugh. As his assistant, the Prez is always taking my stuff. He'll say he likes something so he's taking it and I can order myself a new one lol
If you could hide food coloring to the food, something that would turn his mouth black or something, would be fun.
Oh or something that turned his poop or pee some crazy color would be fun too.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
