Someone is stealing food in my apartment...any help? ***UPDATE 9/22***

i'd go with the idea of getting one of those chain lock deals for your door, if your landlord allows it. either that, or having a second deadbolt installed. this way, if you don't need maitenance performed in your aparment, you keep both locked, with you having the only key to the second lock. if you've put in a maint. req., then you only lock the one lock.
 
I'd do the hidden camera thing and hopefully you can get it set up so your roommate doesn't know about it as well.
 
[quote name='wubb']I'd do the hidden camera thing and hopefully you can get it set up so your roommate doesn't know about it as well.[/QUOTE]


agree don't tell your roomate that your gonna video it. If it IS him (for some strange reason or it's his friends), then you don't want to tip him off. However if you do tell him, and it is him(or his friends), it might just stop. If that's the case, then it was him all this time.

As for spiking the food...like I said before this can backfire in so many ways.

You gotta be careful because who ever gets poisoned COULD have a bad reaction to it and could end up going to the hospital and worse case scenario, die. That's when the police come and charge you in his death.
 
This is too good to be true.
I can't wait to hear what happens! :lol:

*pulls up a chair and a bowl of popcorn*

EDIT: Not YOUR popcorn! ;)
 
[quote name='gregthomas77']As a matter of fact, I bet the OP has been stealing his roommates food, and he has set up this thread with the hope his roommate will stumble across it and be convinced the OP is not a thief.[/quote]

So he's just trying to pin it on "the usual suspects" eh?
 
When I was in high school there was a guy breaking into lockers stealing lunches. Every day he would eat my Little Debbie Swiss Cake Roll. So my Dad concocted a Little Debbie Swiss Tabasco Roll for him one day. After a mouth full of Tabasco he never touched my lunch again.
 
There is a scientific principal (don't remember the name) that says that, when studying the unknown, the simplest explanation (that explains everything is best). Hence, the earth revolving around the sun makes more sense than the weird complicated movements you would need for everything to rotate around the earth.

It makes far more sense that either you, your roommate, one of your (or your roomate) friends is taking this food. The food that is missing is mostly junk food, the sort of stuff that is just grabbed and eaten (and forgotten about). You don't seem to lose whole turkeys, just some popcorn and Oreo's..

Really, how much money are you losing here? Is it even worth catching the person? Honestly, what are you going to do? If you catch the person, are you going to demand that they give you a buck (you can't prove they took eveything else). When they refuse, are you going to sue them?

I wouldn't mind hearing how this ends, but 99% of the time, it's going to be an obvious person. The idea that it's the maintence person (or some raccoon sneaking in) would be a great ending, but highly unlikely.
 
You should also see if they are trying to steal your fridge. I only know of one man who is capable of lifting one. I'll PM you some info on him if you need it.
 
maybe your roommate gave a copy of the key to one of his friend...

i agree with the cam idea...dont tell anyone tho...especially your roommate

keep us posted
 
[quote name='munch']You should also see if they are trying to steal your fridge. I only know of one man who is capable of lifting one. I'll PM you some info on him if you need it.[/quote]

:rofl: :applause:
 
We never have anyone over, just because it's a little off campus and everyone lives on campus. So that takes everyone out of question except for me and my roomate.

But honestly, it's not him. We;ve had many conversations talking about it and we're anal about food cause we hate paying for it and such.

As for how much food has gone missing in monetary value...it's probably around the $50 to $60 range. I'm just worried that someday the person will realize that they are getting away with it and steal my laptop, 360, wii, and everything else of value in here.
 
It sounds improbable that someone would break into your apartment only to steal food and not your electronics. I have the feeling the person who is stealing the food late at night is either you or your roommate's Tyler Durden. Capture it on film and report back to us.
 
[quote name='Kendro']It sounds improbable that someone would break into your apartment only to steal food and not your electronics. I have the feeling the person who is stealing the food late at night is either you or your roommate's Tyler Durden. Capture it on film and report back to us.[/quote]

I don't think it's late at night though....I think it happens in the middle of the day while me and my roomate are at work/school. The maintanance people just get hungry and come over for a snack.
 
[quote name='lordxixor101']There is a scientific principal (don't remember the name) that says that, when studying the unknown, the simplest explanation (that explains everything is best). Hence, the earth revolving around the sun makes more sense than the weird complicated movements you would need for everything to rotate around the earth.[/quote]

Occam's Razor. And I totally think it's a squirrel or raccoon. Why go for the food and not the valuable electronics? Only a non human would see no value in not taking the valuables. The only other possible option is that it's a phrogger - someone who sneaks into someone's house, not to steal anything, but live in secret.
 
Seriously get the webcam thing going ASAP. Its someone you know (like your roommate). If not the maintenance people would be great if you caught them.

Go find a used web camera.... got a charge card? Get one at say Target or other store with 90 day return policy. Return it later just paying the interest.

Do this asap.
 
They probably don't go after the electronics because they could get into big trouble for that, but taking food is different and not as noticeable.
 
K, i have a camera set up now to atuomatically start recording when it detects motion. I have it set up looking at the front door because there's no where to hide it in the kitchen where it wouldn't be obvious. Plus, i don't want to feel like a creep looking at a bunch of photos of my roomate cooking.
 
[quote name='Dingleberry']K, i have a camera set up now to atuomatically start recording when it detects motion. I have it set up looking at the front door because there's no where to hide it in the kitchen where it wouldn't be obvious. Plus, i don't want to feel like a creep looking at a bunch of photos of my roomate cooking.[/quote]

Actually something similiar happen to some girls who lived above me in college. Food, some cash, and a few items kept going missing. 4 girls lived together and they were constantly getting in fights with one another over missing shit.

One night one of the girls came running into my apartment saying she needed us to come upstairs. She had just left her roommates at a restaurant and came home to get her purse, when she saw someone moving in the apartment. We go upstairs and as we open the door hear someone moving in the attic.

She calls the cops and they come out to look. They go up into the attic and find a whole in the firewall into another nearby apartment. They question the guys who live there and they rat out the roommate who had been doing it. Turns out he had been sneaking into the apartment for awhile.

So basically a camera on the door wouldn't have helped them at all...
 
[quote name='Dingleberry']K, i have a camera set up now to atuomatically start recording when it detects motion. I have it set up looking at the front door because there's no where to hide it in the kitchen where it wouldn't be obvious. Plus, i don't want to feel like a creep looking at a bunch of photos of my roomate cooking.[/quote]

Awesome!

You should also have the typical foods that have been getting eaten stocked, like I said poptarts and popcorn. If you don't catch anyone on the webcam coming in, then it's obviously your roommate.
 
The first night of camera action is over....so far, I just have pictures of me turning the lights off, and my roomate leaving for work.
 
[quote name='Dingleberry']The first night of camera action is over....so far, I just have pictures of me turning the lights off, and my roomate leaving for work.[/quote]
Keep it up. Don't get discouraged early on, because the day you stop recording will be the day more shit comes up missing.

Make sure you're recording during the day as well. I doubt someone will come in during the night when they know you're both in there sleeping. Like you said, if it's someone else breaking in, then it's probably during the day.


It almost seems to me that whoever is putting the empty wrappers back in the box is mocking you. Seriously, why would they do that? Wouldn't they take it back to their place and cook the popcorn there? If it's someone else breaking into your apartment, they've got some balls breaking in, cooking the product there, and leaving the wrapper in the box.

By wrapper, do you mean the plastic outside or the dirty empty popcorn bag? If it's just the cellophane, I guess they could have just brought it to their place and cooked it. But if that's true, then why leave the plastic? Someone is mocking you.
 
Make sure that if you do get any footage of somebody stealing your food, even if it is just your roomate. POST IT ON YOUTUBE ASAP! I can not possibly tell you the laugh value we will all get from that.
 
Awesome thread, I can't wait to see how this mystery is finally solved.

Is your roommate in on the stake out or does he have no clue what the webcam is for?
 
[quote name='MadFlava']Awesome thread, I can't wait to see how this mystery is finally solved.

Is your roommate in on the stake out or does he have no clue what the webcam is for?[/QUOTE]

Thats what I want to know. I know you trust him but someone is not telling the truth here. I mean what better way to cover your tracks act like your food is coming up missing, or create a thread asking for suggestions on catching the person... either way its fun to be in on this.
 
[quote name='darthbudge']Make sure that if you do get any footage of somebody stealing your food, even if it is just your roomate. POST IT ON YOUTUBE ASAP! I can not possibly tell you the laugh value we will all get from that.[/quote]

Indeed.

I cannot wait for the epic lulz.

Great thread OP!
 
One other possibility is that whoever leaves last forgets to lock the door. There was a part of town where I went to college where a bum would just go try to open doors. If the door was open, he would casually walk into the kitchen and grab something out of the fridge to eat, then walk out with it. It didn't even matter if someone was home. Mainly college students lived in this area, I don't know anyone who called the cops on him. If he came into your apartment, the college kids felt like it was there own fault for leaving the door unlocked. Personally, I would have been a little scared, but I knew a guy who did care too much about about.

I'd like to reiterate, no adding things to food products as that can get you in lots of legal trouble, even if the food was stolen from you. If it is your roomate, then the thefts will stop with the camera in place. If it is not your roomate, I'd expect to have your electronics stolen the day before you move out because it will be hard to coordinate with a police investigation (since you will be cleaning for a final inspection.)
 
If it is indeed your landlord or maintenance crew. I would move all your valuables into storage or have the locks changed on your door before attempting to go after them. You never know what person will do when provoked.
 
Are either you or your roommate taking Ambien?

"Some users have reported unexplained sleepwalking while using Ambien, and a few have reported driving, binge eating, sleep talking, and performing other daily tasks while sleeping."
 
1) Make post-it notes with "gotcha bitch!" written on them and insert them into every box of goodies you have.
2) Rig a tape recorder to the cabinets to play Jim Cramer's infamous "BOOYA!" quote when it is opened
3) Make noise like you are leaving then hide.
4) When they come in and open the cabinet, spring from hiding and throw glitter at them while they are stunned by Cramer's mastery of the English language.
 
[quote name='GuyWithGun']
By wrapper, do you mean the plastic outside or the dirty empty popcorn bag? If it's just the cellophane, I guess they could have just brought it to their place and cooked it. But if that's true, then why leave the plastic? Someone is mocking you.[/quote]

It was just one cellophane wrapper. No other wrappers were left.

[quote name='darthbudge']Make sure that if you do get any footage of somebody stealing your food, even if it is just your roomate. POST IT ON YOUTUBE ASAP! I can not possibly tell you the laugh value we will all get from that.[/quote]

The footage is just snapshots taken every half second or so. I have the camera facing the door as it is because there is no way for me to put it in the kitchen that isn't noticable.


And as for my roomate knowing, I told him because I didn't want to feel like a creep when i have a bunch of snapshots of his girlfriend coming in the door.
 


Here is a sample of what it looks like when i come in the door. You can see the Maintanance people's door behind me as well.
 
Cool.

I started to think you just wanted to know how to rig the camera and made an elaborate story up... and then found yourself not knowing what to do with everyones expectations (maybe you still did?!?)

Keep us posted although this wont solve it if its someone you allow to come in the apartment.
 
[quote name='Snake2715']Keep us posted although this wont solve it if its someone you allow to come in the apartment.[/quote]

That's the thing...the only people that are ever here include me, my roomate, and my roomates girlfriend. my roomate has actually gotten in fights with her over it too because he knows it's not me or him. And it's deffinitly not here because she's on a strict diet because she had an eating disorder and has to write down everything she eats.
 
[quote name='Dingleberry']she had an eating disorder and has to write down everything she eats.[/quote]
That's an eyebrow-raiser.

She may be the culprit, eating in shameful secrecy.
 
[quote name='evilmax17']That's an eyebrow-raiser.

She may be the culprit, eating in shameful secrecy.[/quote]

no way...she doesn't even want to eat. Her parents make her.
 
[quote name='MadFlava']If it is indeed your landlord or maintenance crew. I would move all your valuables into storage or have the locks changed on your door before attempting to go after them. You never know what person will do when provoked.[/quote]

i second this.
 
[quote name='Dingleberry']Here is a sample of what it looks like when i come in the door. You can see the Maintanance people's door behind me as well.[/quote]If the Maintenance peoples' door is right near yours, that makes me think it might be them doing it, if it's not your roommate or his GF. Since you're so close to their door, it's a quick stop, plus they have access to the place with their key.

The easy solution is to change the locks and not tell anyone, which would eliminate anyone beside you and your roommate that could get into your place.
 
[quote name='shrike4242']If the Maintenance peoples' door is right near yours, that makes me think it might be them doing it, if it's not your roommate or his GF. Since you're so close to their door, it's a quick stop, plus they have access to the place with their key.

The easy solution is to change the locks and not tell anyone, which would eliminate anyone beside you and your roommate that could get into your place.[/quote]
Some places get really pissed if you do this, so be careful. Try and find out, if you don't know already, when they do their fire extinguisher testing, fire alarm testing, pest control, etc. That way you can be home when they do that stuff and just have the door unlocked and they won't have to use a key. Then if they randomly call you and give you shit for changing your lock, you can ask them WTF they were doing trying to get into your apartment without letting you know about it.


I also agree with those that recommend you be very careful not to piss anyone off. They can get in your apartment.
 
[quote name='ITDEFX']It's been a few days now........... nothing new??! :([/quote]

I just set the camera up last night...I mean, I can always post more pictures of us going to class/work.

Or I can start bringing girls over and posting heated study sessions.
 
Well, to be exactly sure it's the maintainance people, when you and your roommate are both out put a piece of pencil lead (the kind that go into mechanical pencils) on the door hinge. This is so that if someone goes into your room, you'd know whether or not it wasn't your roommate or some kind of rodent (the lead would break if someone entered). Well, that is if your roommate doesn't have a sudden urge to ditch class and eat food.
 
[quote name='option.iv']Well, to be exactly sure it's the maintainance people, when you and your roommate are both out put a piece of pencil lead (the kind that go into mechanical pencils) on the door hinge. This is so that if someone goes into your room, you'd know whether or not it wasn't your roommate or some kind of rodent (the lead would break if someone entered). Well, that is if your roommate doesn't have a sudden urge to ditch class and eat food.[/quote]

I dont' quite get how that works...
 
[quote name='Dingleberry']I dont' quite get how that works...[/QUOTE]
Ok, take mechanical pencil lead. Lay it down on top of the door hinge (bottom one) after closing the door. If someone opens the door, the lead will break or fall. When you come back, if the lead is broken, you know someone came in.

But this is assuming you are the last to leave and the first to get back before your roommate.
 
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