What to do - possible theft from DC @ school

[WalkinginMemphis2]

Odd situation here.

Bit of pre info DC's school have a school coat that whilst no compulsory it's strongly encouraged they wear.

There is a new winter version we purchased this just before Christmas as DC was going up a size

Annoyingly new version has no label in collar or inside seam which can be named as it's reversible.

The name'able label is on the pocket - we stamped this and then to make it easy for DC to recognise we put a ribbon on inside pocket zip.

DC's teacher said the new coats were causing issues because no quickly recognisable name tag and that there is a tab (think like on a pair of Levis x4 bigger) on outer side seam that is white on the reverse side could we name - we name stamped it.

DC are at asmall primary 18 - 20 pupils in each 4 classes - they have an unusual'ish name - no others with same

after wraparound someone else had gone home with his coat.

For wraparound they go into a large classroom place their coats and bags on the tables and go off to wherever - we pick up from that room. DC's bag was there when he came to go but no coat.

They said they definitely placed down. We waited until everyone had gone but there was no one else's coat in its place.

no one in our yr group or youngest DC's had taken home - no contacts in others to ask. So we waited to see if it was brought in by one of the other two classes.

2 days later still nothing. So I insisted that DC be helped to go round all the cloakrooms and look otherwise I would - these coats are £46!

Kindly DC's teaching assistant did this and found in the cloakroom of one of the classes in the year above.

We were on half term last week so I washed the coat (took the ribbon off) and put back on double tying tightly very very tightly and decided to try make coat more identifiable by taking DC's initial keyring off their school bag and adding to outer zip of the coat. Identical to image attached.

On Monday the coat went missing again this time at afternoon break they are not allowed out without but are allowed to take off and place on benches - there was issues with them being chucked everywhere. When DC went to get his had gone. Waited until the end - again nothing in its place.

Again two days coat has not materialised, again teaching assistant searches the cloakrooms - again finds in same cloakroom.

Hung the coat up on Weds night noticed the keyring had gone! Asked DC who said yes they had asked teacher and they didn't really know / wouldn't help (fair enough) started crying. Wants keyring. Instinctively I checked the inside - the ribbon has also gone!!!!

I think we all know what has happened here but obviously no one can 'prove' anything however I think this is completely outrageous.

school are trying to blame a child. There is no way a 7/8 yo would have the time/patience/motor strength/problem solving skills (the coat would need to be laid on something to allow purchase on the zip - like your lap or a table) to get that keyring off (it's the whole thing that's gone not just the decorative part which yes could have been pulled/fallen off).

Took ages to get off bag the bag in first place and really hurt my nails doing so then DH struggled to put it on the zip. Also the ribbon, this was just a very dark grey cotton and blended in with the coat lining - don't think a child would have even noticed to take off. Let alone been able to do those nots + remove keyring without anyone noticing.

Obviously we can't prove but I think inferring it's a low value item we should just let it go is not good enough theft is never okay. For me this goes way beyond a child bringing the wrong item home and a parent ignoring or even removing the name tag that is on that item.

Also it's weird it's been the same cloakroom both times!

Sew a thin metal washer into the hem where you could find it by feeling?

I actually just write their full name in black Sharpie permanent marker on the outside of their jumpers now for this reason. It needs to be visible from the outside of the garment whilst being worn and not removable as some kids and parents will just steal them otherwise

The key ring is a lost cause.

i would cut a small slit in the coat, insert an AirTag, and stitch it back up. If it goes missing again, instead of waiting around, start tracking it.

I agree that uniform can end up with the wrong child for various reasons. I’ve had four in uniform at the same time so we’ve had no end of things come home that didn’t belong to us as well as no end of our items that were never seen again despite multiple labels etc bearing our quite unusual name. If it’s not yours don’t take it and if it ends up at home make sure it goes back. As I said before children model behaviour they see at home. If more people acted like you and me there wouldn’t be so much of an issue with missing clothes.

Had this years ago, sent my DS in with a new shirt, name label on it and name written on too.
it went missing, months later a teacher returned it - a parent had written their child’s name on top…

if people can’t be bothered to return a school coat that’s not theirs why would they return any other type of coat. Uniform is not the issue here. It’s the fact that people who aren’t doing anything wrong have to change their behaviour whilst those that are in the wrong carry on regardless. That’s regressive.

I was bloody fuming. It was theft and the school let it slide because the other DC didn't have a coat.

Get some big felt letters and sew his name onto the back of his coat, 1980s style.

This kept happening in our school. Loads of mums knew these werent theirs, but because theyd lost one, rhey wanted to keep these as a fair swap! A few fed up mums had their child's initials embroidered on the breast, by the local uniform shop. It made such a big difference, as these never got taken home.

Is it one of those reversible coats where one side is fleece? Our never wore them with the fleece side out, so I sewed the name tags into the neckline on the inside where they were more visible. But then I was only dealing with DS forgetfulness not actually theft.

For ds sports kit and coat I had large nametapes with his surname that I sewed on to the front of items. Several parents at the prep school did it after a spate of light-fingeredness.

These days I’d probably drop an AirTag into the lining if I thought something had been nicked.

So frustrating @caringcarer ours is a small market town never much crime, now boots is locked down, stuff behind perspex have to ask for certain every day skin care, because of all the stealing! I do wonder if it's this shoulder shrugging, excusing low level thievery early on that is driving it.

DH spoke to deputy Fri - said she knows what's happened but was trying to blame a child which has had fuming, she's going to do an assembly. Fine but we all know it's not a child. Such a weak cop out and a disservice to the children.

You’re right but the head cannot prove anything. All the coats are identical and with the identifying bits removed there is not way of actually proving that it doesn’t belong to the child that is wearing it! Her hands are tied. Find a way of labelling it that can’t be undone. Then it won’t happen again.

@Smartiepants79 but it is the labels are stamped hence the OP getting it back twice despite the very difficult to remove items being taken off.