dealing with stealing in home

[maril]

I hate the fact that I have to live behind locked doors IN my own home but if I want to keep my valuables, it's the way it has to be at this point.

I feel resentful, too. I am getting somewhat used to our routine but it is trying. I have to laugh at myself, as I have had to make multiple trips back to unlock my bedroom to retrieve things I have forgotten to take out before locking up (i.e., shoes, car keys, etc. - you get the picture); actually, I don't laugh at the time it happens but thinking about it now, it is comical.

It is interesting to see how many here have to also keep valuables locked up.

 

[Nancy423]

I don't carry cash any more and everything I want to take care of is locked in my room. Only husband and I have a key.
We also have a safe in our closet for medications. We don't keep them out in the cabinet anymore. I had to call poison control when she ate too many Singulair!
I've had my cell disappear, car keys, and certainly food (pretty much on a daily basis). I don't buy the junk foods - but when I do get cookies or whatnot as a surprise, she manages to find them and take the whole package!
Some other things I'll keep in my car when I go to work, but it's hard during summer and winter with- the extreme temps.

Anyway, it's not the ideal way to live, but it's a necessity.

 

[wethreepeeps]

Our new big issue is that daughter uses Ensure as her primary nutrition due to a genetic disorder. This weekend I discovered in difficult children closet a nice stash of empty Ensure cans. He's been getting up in the middle of the night and stealing them. So now daughter is almost a case short for the month.

 

[DaisyFace]

He's been getting up in the middle of the night and stealing [food].

Same here! What IS that with stealing food in the middle of the night? We had locks on our pantry for years because of that problem.

Then we tried going without the locks for a while...and I found boxes of cake and pudding mix (half-eaten) hidden under difficult child's bed.

In our house, we are not concerned about restricting anyone's food due to allergies or weight or any other issue. In fact, because husband is Italian, the policy around here is 'Mongi! Mongi!'...AND each child has their own snack foods for the week, which they can have whenever they want.

So clearly it is not a hunger issue--perhaps taking things (whether food, or electronics or driver's licenses) is a 'symptom'..?

 

[compassion]

Daisy face, Yeh it is a compulsion. difficult child has plenty, more thAN enough money, stuff etc. With her it is impulsivity but I think it is also a form of her acting out anger and trying to feel in control???? As far as I know, no theft today!!! Yeh!!!! Compassion

 

[wethreepeeps]

Same here! What IS that with stealing food in the middle of the night? We had locks on our pantry for years because of that problem.

Then we tried going without the locks for a while...and I found boxes of cake and pudding mix (half-eaten) hidden under difficult child's bed.

In our house, we are not concerned about restricting anyone's food due to allergies or weight or any other issue. In fact, because husband is Italian, the policy around here is 'Mongi! Mongi!'...AND each child has their own snack foods for the week, which they can have whenever they want.

So clearly it is not a hunger issue--perhaps taking things (whether food, or electronics or driver's licenses) is a 'symptom'..?

I agree, it's definitely not a hunger issue. Not when there is bread, peanut butter, fruit, crackers, cheese, etc available but difficult child chooses to eat packets of hot cocoa powder or straight from the sugar container. And the Ensure, he just wanted it because it's forbidden. There was no lack of food in the house, but he chose the one thing that he's never allowed to have.

 

[DaveS903]

We deal with it too. Locking things away seems to be about the only thing we've found that works. Well, most of the time - a couple of years ago he took a crowbar to the padlocked door of the spare bedroom/storage room to get at some videotapes. Night before last he took off with his mother's credit card and had a grand old time at several fast food places in the middle of the night.

Hey, if it was easy, anyone could do it! Feel better? Just kidding - I know it stinks big time but you are not alone.