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

looking back - you're right, I should have called 999

You could still phone the police, blushingm. Even if you don't know the name of the man who chased the nutter for you, or where he lives, you could probably find out via the Rainbows, as he was waiting to pick a child up too.

Are you going to leave your son in the car with the engine running again, though? It's honestly not a good idea.

not with the engine runniing no! - i'd still leave him but i'd take the keys with me!

Could you leave him at home? A sensible 9-year-old would be OK for the short time it took you to pick up from Rainbows - or do you have a long drive to get to Rainbows? In practical terms, I think I would have left a 9 year old ds at home whilst I nipped out briefly (though some people will probably tell me this is just as risky) - in fact, I probably did, though as the youngest is 14, it is sooo long ago (and my memory is so shite) that I can't remember! [old gimmer emoticon]

Problem is Sods law will take over and something will happen and you would get done for child neglect by leaving a child home alone.

small quiet village or not, it just shows that it wasn't that safe to leave the keys running and doors unlocked. Also, it it's a small safe village wouldn't this man be easy to find - don't people know who he is?