To think this person needs to be approached?

[BasinHaircut]

I work in an open plan/hot desking office. Generally it is the same people working within specific areas but over the past month or so a man (let’s call him colleague B) has been sitting in ‘our’ area occasionally, but he does not work with any of the teams on our floor, we don’t really know who he is. Where I work it is a bit odd to not sit anywhere near your team at all but whatever his choice.

Today colleague A left their mobile phone in the kitchen area ON TOP of their lunch whilst they quickly ran to the toilets. When they returned the lunch was still there but the phone was gone.

They came back to their desk and was speaking about it loudly, others were joining in saying to ask at reception or facilities in case it had been handed in. Colleague A tried calling the phone and it rang (was apparently on vibrate not loud ring) but didn’t get a response.

Colleague A, on her way to reception to ask if it had been handed in saw her phone on colleague B’s desk, 2 rows away from where she sits. She asked him how it got there and he just looked at her blankly then looked away. She didn’t tackle him on it as she was apparently too angry/upset to do so. There is no way he did not hear the conversation happening 10 feet away regarding the missing phone.

I subsequently reported this to my manager as I think that someone should talk to colleague B, as by ignoring colleague A in this situation he has made himself look very suspicious and untrustworthy.

It may all be very innocent but I think as we all work in the same space we need to know whether we should be wary of our possessions when he is around.

Speak to your manager who needs to challenge him. He should be on the same floor as the rest of his team.
Do they know where he is sitting? What if there was a fire? No one would know he was missing

Are you sure he is actually employed by the company? What does he appear to be doing? Can you hear any phone calls? Does anyone from other parts of the building come to speak to him? Has nobody ever spoke to him for a quick chat?

All looks a bit suspicious to me.

He does definately work there yes. One of our team has once been in a meeting with him.

He doesn’t talk to anyone, I’m not sure that he has never spoken to anyone, I’m not in the office every day.

No idea how any of us would be accounted for in a fire as technically we can sit anywhere we like. He isn’t doing anything wrong in that respect.

When i have been working in an office where we hot desked, i am usually so intent and tied up with my work the building could fall down around my ears without me noticing. It happens that people pick up other people's phones by mistake thinking it's theirs. If your colleague left it in full view he obviously isn't intending to steal it. I am feeling v sorry for this chap, you don't sound like anyone I would like to be with in my office.

It was on top of colleague A’s lunch in the kitchen so not sure why he would have thought he left it there and picked it up?

Also, she asked him about it and he blanked her. I did say it might be completely innocent but AIBU to want someone to get to the bottom of it so we can all not worry about or possessions at work?

Same as Jonbb. Why would he leave the phone on his desk if he wanted to steal it? Not answering when someone talks to you is plain rude, obviously.

Don’t know sammy, that’s why it all seems a bit strange to me. If he took it because he thought it was his, or was planning on handing it in he could have just said and that would have been that.