aibu to think this guy was completely off his rocker or just a nasty piece of work?

[blushingm]

I left ds (9yo) in the back of the car while i nipped into the guide hall to collect dd from rainbows. he was reading and is quite sensible. I left the engine running as it was warm and the air con was on.

while i was in the guide hall an old guy walking his dog approached my car and started swearing and threatening ds. He then went around the otherside of the car, removed my keys and threw them over the wall into the adjoining grave yard.

i was gone less than 5 minutes. there was a guy parked behind my car who saw it all - he retrieved my keys and tried to chase after the older guy but he'd gone. ds was very very upset

i'm and that someone would think it's ok to behave that way - the guide hut is in a very very small, usually friendly town - people dont usually lock thier cars and houses unless they are going away

the more i think about it the more cross i am getting

liilelue- I wouldnt lock anything or anyone in a car in 30 degree heat- not that dull!

It's not ok for the guy to threaten your son and start swearing and grabbing the keys.

Are you sure your son said nothing at all?

But the other parents sitting around in their cars couldn't prevent this happening...so what chance would they have of preventing the car from being stolen?

I'd have no problems leaving a 9 year old in a car, but never with the keys left in the ignition.

You're not in the wrong for leaving him in the car. Leaving the engine running is a different matter though, although I'm not an expert on car safety. I agree the man should not have shouted at your son, entered your property and stolen your car keys though so he was definitely in the wrong there. If he really was concerned for your son's safety then he could have waited by the car until you came back.

Yes, mine can be opened from inside as well

Would you leave £10,000 in your car, on full display...keys in ignition and engine running?

I doubt it...so why leave something far more precious in the same position?

Go and find that old man.

Give him the biggest, most heartfelt thank you you have ever offered in your life.

He's just taught you a very valuable lesson. Learn from it.

no she shouldn't

as much she was wrong to laeve him in a running car, the man ran and swore odds at THE CHILD not the mum he thought it was acceptabl;e to scare a very young child on his own on the car and throw the keys away, if he was that concerned about the health he would have waited for the mum to have a word.

Did you hear what the man said to your son? I guess as a 9yr having a stranger reach into the car (whilst ranting, it sounds like!), it may sound like he was telling your son off (more likely he was telling you off).

yeah swearing and threatening ds doesnt exactly smack of him being concerned over him being left in the car really does it? A few of us have said we are suprised you would leave the car running but we wouldnt scream at him. Or you. Thats just some old git being bonkers. Hope ds is ok.

because £10,000 could be lifted in 2 seconds by any old passer by - a 9 year old boy is a) harder to just take and b) a damn sight harder to spend , most 9 year old boys I know cost lots of money, not give you loads of free cash

Totally missed the point there HRHM

My point is, the car could be stolen in seconds with the child in the back.

I'm really shocked that people think this might be a wind-up or that what the man did was ok.

Even if he did have concerns about the child's safety in this situation, surely everyone can see that this was not the right way to express these concerns.

i love the thought that there are car thieves on every street corner fgs

There aren't car thieves on every street corner...but that doesn't mean we should give opportunist thieves any help. Especially where a child is concerned.

I love the thought that bad things dont happen in nice places

Seriously though.

I have friend who lives in a 'wonderfully quiet, safe and nice village in the middle of nowhere' (you know, the type you see on Crimewatch?)

She's got 3 kids and 'prides' herself on never locking the door at night. I mean why? Why not just turn the fucking key, knowing some random person can't simply walk into your home?