Should she replace it? SHE RETURNED IT!

Also, she’s likely to deceive them in similar ways, so it gives them a heads-up

Very dignified and mature of you!

She will always be airing on the embarrassing side of caution around your mutuals I feel, wondering if they know of her actions 😂😂

Especially when she's just married.

Friends will be thinking "well she's been so busy with the wedding, a couple of weeks isn't totally unreasonable to return it, OP has been so harsh dropping her for just that"

I agree, it's not "wasting your breath" on a situation, it's making it very clear that it took up to the threat of legal action to get her to return it. Plus all the lies.

Saying you've permanently got rid of a friend because she took a few weeks to return an item and nothing more makes YOU look bad, and I'd be wondering as a friend if you'd chuck ME over something similar.

Yeah I too would either tell the whole story or nothing. You
sound a little bit loopy falling out with someone just because they didn’t return a hairdryer for a few weeks!

OP, honestly you do yourself no favour by protecting her.
Send your friend the link from the Daily Mail and let her join the dots.

She's a common thief.
I also would be forwarding to the hotel too.

She blackened their name and staff.

You are protecting the wrong person.

I wouldn’t worry what people think, I lost a long ‘strong’ family relationship due to low morals and excessive lying and manipulation.
that person doesn’t know that I’ve finally realised the extent of their duplicity and has happily spread their version of ’our’ story to family and our many mutual friends.
I am relieved to have that person out of my life , and by association, those who know what this person is like and prefer to believe a known cheat, thief and liar and overlook all of that .
i cba to waste my energy explaining something to people who have already made their minds up about me, life is too short

I also agree with this. I think you leave yourself vulnerable to her spinning a story that makes you look like the bad guy and also leave your friends vulnerable to her taking advantage of them. You have done absolutely nothing wrong in any of this, so you shouldn't be afraid to tell them the truth about what has happened. I think the one thing you could do wrong now is staying silent!

Got to say op I'd think someone was a bit loopy if they cancelled a lifelong friendship because they didn't return an airwrap for a couple of weeks after their wedding. You might want to drop her in it just a TINY bit so you don't look like you've lost the plot 😂

@Langarg

I agree. You should have told your friend "X borrowed my hair wrap and when I kept asking for it back she finally said her sister broke it. Of course, I asked her to replace it. Then all of a sudden she dropped it on my doorstep and just left it there. Weird, huh?"

No mention of theft. Your mutual friend can draw their own conclusion.

I agree

OP, I really don't understand why you didn't tell your other friend what the CF did in detail, otherwise she's likely to try it with others. I think under the circumstances, I think you would be fully justified in warning others of her behaviour, not brushing it under the carpet possibly leaving other friends vulnerable to her sneaky ways.

I agree OP - I think CF will try and spin this another way with your mutual friends.
You have nothing to hide from or be ashamed of in this situation - I really don't think giving your other mutual friends the heads up on her behaviour is the wrong thing to do.

I would hope she's learned her lesson on taking advantage of people's good will, but your silence on the issue might make her feel emboldened to pull a similar stunt on someone else.

Yes, I don't understand why you don't tell mutual friends the truth - because no doubt she will be putting her own spin on it to them. Just saying she didn't return it for a few weeks makes it sound as though you are being unreasonable to fall out with her permanently over this. The lying - and attempted theft as she only returned it when threatened with court - are why you are no longer friends, not that she took a bit too long to return an item you lent her.

Well done OP. 😃
The only thing I would say is that, at some point, you may need to tell at least one mutual friend the detail of what actually happened, including the lies CF told i.e. you had to ask for your AW back a few days after her wedding before she told you it had been lost (lie) and offering to pay in three installments for a second-hand, inferior model, her DH had left it on the "matching" blue carpet in their hotel room (lie), she'd phoned the hotel (lie) but they denied all knowledge, they were going to drive to the hotel on 2nd Jan to try to retrieve it (lie), she lent it to her sister who spilled wine on it and broke it (all lies!), and you had to threaten her with legal action for her to finally return it more than a month later (leaving it on your doorstep, when you were at work, where it could actually have been stolen!). You could recount this detail, as quickly as I have ((I don't think I've missed anything out), because otherwise some people in your social circle may try to claim that you threw away the friendship because "CF didn't return your hairdryer for a few weeks" - this simple statement is essentially true, but do you see how totally misleading it is when no detail as to what actually happened is supplied? As the old saying goes, "the devil's in the detail" so please don't allow CF's simple story to airbrush the truth. 😊

Blimey!!! You just don’t know some people do you?! What a CF!! I would not offer any recognition, just remove her from your life. So pleased you got it back!

The New Zealand contingent are delighted you have it back.
I reckon you block your former (read: lying bitch) friend on all media/phones/socials etc.
Place a large ad in the local rag warning people of her light fingered tendencies.
I'm soooo pleased its been returned to it rightful owner! X

The OP said she sent the sister a text message. I’m surprised the sister didn’t message back asked what on earth she was talking about.

Yes to this!

Maybe her sister also needs to know how she's been thrown under the bus. Assuming she really has a sister.

I agree the hotel needs to be told for the sake of the reputation of the staff.

Honesty with other people's property is a huge element of the T&Cs of a hotel employee's contract, and a cloud over it can have major repercussions.

This is a really good point. I’d inform the hotel that the item has been returned by the lying CF brideszilla, just in case she decides to ever avail herself of their services again with a birthday party, vow renewal or divorce party when he clocks he’s married a wrong un…
At least the staff will know their reputation is absolved.

It was so generous of you to have lent it to her in the first place, she’s vile and absolutely without a conscience. I would certainly be telling mutual friends when I next saw them

Oh sorry, was just trying to be funny. Wasn’t really expecting a response! Glad it all worked out for OP.

Sending her a LBA did prompt her to return it OP (better late than never!). And this is another important lesson you've learned @Langarg - that often the very real threat of court action can be enough to bring stupid people to their senses.
I'm so glad you've finally got your AirWrap back and your tresses are looking great again. I'm equally glad the CF is now an EX-friend. 😉 Onwards and upwards with your lovely new friends/fellow hobbyists! 😃