AIBU to seek help after taking items from school lost property?

You're a calculated, organised thief and quite deliberately selling stuff on. Go and see a private therapist as the waiting lists on the NHS for CBT are very long.

And if you are really in torment you should be able to pay for treatment.

Some parents may rarely do pick up or don't realise something is missing for a while.

That was a lot of words to say “I’m a thief”

In my school, we keep and use or donate anything left longer than a year. I assure you, you're incredibly unlikely to be saving things from the bin.

Let me tell you about a parent in my school. They're utterly skint. They've had involvement from many services over the years and they are trying so hard to be the parent their children need, in incredibly difficult circumstances. The kid is a nightmare for loosing jumpers and coats, absolute nightmare. I've held that parent while they sobbed because their kid's nice new stuff was never to be found in lost property despite names on when they couldn't afford to replace it yet again. I replaced that jumper, from my LSA wage, because I could remember being that skint and my son losing his coat and my feeling of desperate panic and hating that my son would need nasty, stained cast offs when I'd saved up to prevent that shame.

You might be stealing from someone like that. Does your sense of pleasure at 'recycling' (theft) hold up against doing that to someone?

You also say the parents would take it back if they wanted it - how, when you've already stolen it?

Talk to your GP if you need to. Or just stop. I was very badly brought up, actively taught how to steal as a kid, and one day at about 15 just had an epiphany that theft and shoplifting is actually not a victimless crime, quite wrong actually and stopped over night having been on the rob every day before. Never done it since. Just stop. It's better done before you get caught and fuck up your life. You're just a thief, like I was, you're not doing anything justifiable or ok. Stop.

anyone who does this will not stop at the lost property box. It will be the cloakrooms next

This. 💯
You may have taken things before it was realised they were missing or/and before a child or parent could get to the Lost Property box.

What you can be diagnosed with on top of your OCD is being a common thief.

Don’t romanticise it.

I like'to add to my torment'. Thanks for a good laugh.

I have taken stuff from Lost Property at my DS Primary school but only once I knew it was about to be disposed of, I didn't sell it either
Sounds like you are looking for validation that its ok OP, its not so stop it

Stop saying you’re acting on impulse. If you were taking things on impulse you could return them. Making the effort to put them on Vinted and sending them out is a sustained intent. You are a thief. What happens when someone looking to replace lost items notices how much you are selling? That’s when you will find out how hostile the school gate can be. Losing school uniform is so annoying, if I had found out that it was being sold I would have been furious. Get help before you and your daughter are pariahs.

You need psychiatric help.

Is you DH supportive? If this was me he’d be the first person I’d tell, then I would get into therapy before this situation deteriorates.

You seem to be aware this is not acceptable hence the torment and guilt so don't minimise what you're doing by the rationale that the owner hasn't claimed them..

Risk taking behaviour for thrills should be addressed. Kleptomania is not common but you are describing some of the traits however the selling on is calculated rather than impulsive.

If you are struggling to stop, definitely speak to your GP about it. You can not continue to do this as you know it is wrong, it is not victimless as you are depriving the owner of their property and you are making proceeds from the theft.

If you need a deterrent, imagine the consequences if you were caught. The reputational damage would not only impact you. Unfortunately it could impact your husband's business and your daughter as they are connected to you.

Writing your post and the advice you've received hopefully brings this episode to an end. Good luck with resolving this situation as you know you can't continue to do this

And are you donating the money? Since you don't need it?!

Kindly, @Sevs88, you know already it’s not right as you feel bad doing it. You get a buzz from thinking you’re helping recycle, but reality reminds you you’re taking what isn’t yours. You’re trying to absolve your guilt by saying it’s not your fault and seeking reassurance on here.

Have you spoken to your DH at all? Have you got real life support?

I also wonder if there is anything else in your day to day life that gives you meaning and value.

I do feel visiting the GP to discuss would help, or if you can afford to go private do that. You can turn this around but you’ll need to be brave and reach out for help from professionals. Future you will be glad you took that first step.

Stop it, you know it's wrong so stop it. When my kids where in primary I often had to go to lost property if my kids left a coat/ jumper on the school field. You are denying a child their clothes, many people struggle to pay for clothes and costs to begin they carnt afford to replace them. You need to inform the school and replace all the items you stole.

No, she is "recycling" it 🙄... amazing how we can fool ourselves

OP has Kleptomania-
not bordering -
she’s actually living it
and using self reassurance : the parents would have claimed their stuff if they wanted it, right ?
to maintain the problem -
the impulse - the steal - the buzz - the guilt - the self reassurance -
repeat
it’s all there
OP’s post is a reassurance seeking post
it’s OK, it’s not that bad, ???

OP - seek therapy for your disorder
or face the consequences when you are inevitably caught out

“To add to my torment” fuck off 😂😂

But you are not getting the buzz from helping to recycle, you're getting the buzz from stealing someone's bellonging and making money off it. Sounds like you are a kleptomania, but selling these items on is something else, seek help and tell the school so they can kept kids' belonging safe from your sticky hands.

Impulse is taking them. Putting them on vinted isn't impulsive. Go to your GP. There's a lot sitting behind raiding the list property box and selling other people's school uniform.

It would only be impulse if you took them but you are consciously selling them on vinted, where does that money go. I'd tell the school so they can keep the spares box locked away,

Step 1 donate any profits made to Save the Children.

Step 2 stop stealing. Next time you feel the impulse to take something, resist it.

Step 3 if you can't resist it, tell the school reception you are physically unable to steal their lost property items and ask them to move the box or ban you from reception.

All criminals act impulsively. It is not an excuse.

You're robbing little children's clothes and selling them, please say you're donating the money 😯