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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask who you think is the thief?

52 replies

Evangelinedream · 24/02/2019 22:25

DP and I have just recently moved into a shared house with 4 others; A who is quite well off and the lead tenant, B of unknown income, and C&D a couple who don’t have a lot of disposable income.

This weekend we went away and came back to find both our laptops missing. Mine was in our bedroom which is on the top floor, and was either on the desk or the bed. DP’s was in the living room.

Upon realising that the laptops were gone, A seemed quite freaked out at the possibility of someone having been in the house. He has now decided to get the locks changed. I strongly believe it wasn’t him who took them.

B isn’t home but has written a message in the group chat to say he would also like the locks changed and doesn’t feel safe.

C&D don’t seem at all bothered (though I guess some people are just chilled). When I asked if their laptops were kept on show in their bedrooms (based on the hypothesis that someone has broken in and quickly taken what they could see), C said theirs were out in their bedroom. This hypothesis is also supported by the fact that my charger was left behind. When I explained my hypothesis, he said they’re tucked away next to the bed.

So either a) someone with a key has come in and taken them, b) someone has noticed the unlocked door and taken them, or c) someone in the house has taken them.

I think it is option b, my mum thinks c. So, wise mumsnetters; whodunnit?

OP posts:
SpanielEars070 · 24/02/2019 22:58

I couldn't stay in a house where your possessions aren't safe.

I'd move out and chalk it up to experience. Are you sure nothing else has gone since you've been living there?

Rubies12345 · 24/02/2019 22:59

Have you told the landlord?

AnyOldPrion · 24/02/2019 23:01

Someone once broke into a shared flat I lived in. The police thought they got in through the roof as there was a trapdoor into the roof space which couldn’t be locked as it was classed as an alternative escape route in a fire.

HeronLanyon · 24/02/2019 23:01

But the a c checking thing doesn’t help possibly. C may just have known for sure his laptop was there cos he had just seen it or used it ?? If I were guilty I might (if not thought it through) go check ostentatiously (unnecessarily) too.
Just two sides to those scenarios I think. Obvs might be rubbish as you were there !!

SunnyCoco · 24/02/2019 23:03

Yeh I reckon one of your housemates nicked them

I wouldn't bother moving as you might end up with similar people in the next place. Spend the money on a decent lock for the bedroom door and claim on your insurance for the computers

honeyrider · 24/02/2019 23:08

Any chance you have a gps laptop tracker on your laptop? Even if you haven't you could let on to your flatmates that you have it and will check.

honeyrider · 24/02/2019 23:09

Any chance you have a gps laptop tracker on your laptop? Even if you haven't you could let on to your flatmates that you have it and will check.

Meant to add - and watch their reactions.

Anyway you should report it to the police.

BeansOnToastWithCheese · 24/02/2019 23:10

@Evangelinedream I'd lived with them all for over a year and trusted them. To be honest it never crossed my mind that one of them would have done it.

Plus, all of our laptops had gone. So someone either had to have stolen and then hidden/sold all of them or it was someone else.

Finally, the police came round and dusted for fingerprints (this was in approx 2010 - they might not have the resources now?) and found everything had been wiped clean - a housemate wouldn't have bothered doing this.

I would call the police in your situation, regardless of who you think stole them.

BeansOnToastWithCheese · 24/02/2019 23:11

Oh, meant to add - our flat was on quite a busy road as well. Well, not on a busy road but the front door was very visible from a main road. The police said we had a crap door lock that could be picked easily and quickly.

Kezzamo · 24/02/2019 23:18

Did you by any chance register the laptops with immobilise? If not you still can if you have serial numbers etc. Make enquires at local cex, etc pawn type shops. They take if of whoever brings the goods in. Also trawl Facebook selling sites etc.

Do report to the police but the above actions will help you possibly recover the property and identify the offender. In an ideal world the police would do it for you but time is of the essence and they just won't have time.

Can you see if they are still logged on to your home Wi-fi? What brands were they? Any tracking software included? Eg Apple. Or can you get in touch with manufacturer and find out where it was last used (IP address)

Good luck!

Reallyevilmuffin · 24/02/2019 23:22

Burglar merrily only going up to the top of the house? Dream on. If a house is unlocked and basically an opportunistic robbery they will generally try and grab car keys near the door and stuff as close as possible.

Inside job - either actual flatmates or informed by flatmates that you'll be vacant at time X and go wild with this key.

Move out. 100%

LittlePaintBox · 24/02/2019 23:22

If there was no sign of a break in to the house, I'd suspect a guest of one of your housemates, or someone with a key from a previous tenancy. Some people are just really opportunistically dishonest.

I should think they'll have been sold by now, whoever took them. It's a really shocking thing to happen, and you definitely need a way of securing your property when you're not around in future.

lyralalala · 24/02/2019 23:25

Have you called the police?

Also check gumtree and ebay.

Charger being left behind suggests someone taking a laptop quickly though. Any of the flatmates have people over?

PinaColada1 · 24/02/2019 23:31

I’d tell them all that you’ve spoken to the police and have the registration numbers of the laptops so that they are now on a blacklist and on file as being stolen goods.

Say that the police have said that sometimes these things turn up again, however a burglary or stolen goods may well affect security and insurance at the address.

Say that as the laptops may have very sensitive information on this is being taken more seriously.

Say that you’ve also contacted the landlord and that security and locks are of primary importance but may well be added to rental costs ASAP.

Basically make a very big deal out of this with the other tenants.

CharlesChickens · 24/02/2019 23:33

Also think, as a pp mentioned, that sometimes access can be through an attic if you live in a terrace.
I think it is most likely to be a friend of a housemate, otherwise why go to the top of the house ? A housemate would have to be brazen, a friend might not care.

CharlesChickens · 24/02/2019 23:35

You could ask if there was anyone else around, a workman perhaps, or a friend with a less well known friend in tow. Or could single house mate have had a fling with someone dodgy ?

scissorsandpen · 24/02/2019 23:36

In a shared flat everyone was out bar shift worker who was sleeping . Someone managed to open the Yale lock and sneak in went into flat mates bedroom both got a fright intruder ran off. So could be an opportunist . But sometime gut instinct is right so do u have any ?

FlyingMonkeys · 24/02/2019 23:41

You'd have thought they grab the charger too, much less value without it.

BrizzleMint · 24/02/2019 23:50

Have any of them had visitors ?

NewName54321 · 24/02/2019 23:51

You ought to get someone to check your loft-hatch to make sure nobody can get in that way.

RB68 · 24/02/2019 23:53

If its a yale type lock with no other locks (no mortice etc) they are as easy as pie to jump with any old key.

MIL was in her house when 2 scumbags jumped her lock - it was only chance the mortice and chain were not on as she was expecting DH later on, (although that was her mistake as he wasn't due down) even with her there they were just wondering around taking what they wanted despite her running round after them trying to chase them out. They were part of an organised group and because we got her to immediately phone the police while they were still there, police were able to track them with cctv and they were caught - 8 and 9 yrs respectively.

HOWEVER I would suspect someone in the house to be honest. Check local pawn shop and bins around and about. Invest in a firesafe or similar for your room and use it when not in.

The problem with key locks on bedroom doors is it becomes officially an HMO and a whole raft of other rules apply for landlord.

expat101 · 25/02/2019 00:01

Have you looked in the local pawn shops to see if someone has cashed them in? I would buddy up with tenant A to try and sort out who was in the house over the weekend. It sounds like its in his interest to get to the bottom of it too.

theOtherPamAyres · 25/02/2019 00:05

`I would strongly suspect the person who introduced the idea of a burglar and made a hoo-ha about changing the locks.

The ploy was an unsubtle attempt to send you off on a tangent and distract attention from the very obvious 'inside job'.

Marcipex · 25/02/2019 00:13

Inside job seems most likely. Tenant or friend of tenant.
So tenant C heard you'd been robbed and didn't check his room? Or had been in his room already?

Tho if someone came thru a loft hatch, the top floor is the first stop isn't it. Have you looked in the loft, is it cobwebbed, clean, linked in a terrace ?

Graphista · 25/02/2019 00:23

Busy road etc means nothing. Lock picks take less than 30secs to work passers by are oblivious and it just looks like they're using a key. Certain lock types (Yale in particular) are shite and take 10 secs to pick with a kirby grip! I've done it when I've locked myself out of places and I'm no expert. Even once when I locked myself out on a bank holiday weekend and supposedly a super secure 6 drop door latch locksmith was in it less than a minute with right tools. Which again to a casual observer would look no different than using a key.

Regardless of who I thought was guilty I'd be calling police, putting lock on bedroom door and aiming to move out ASAP. Do you even have contents ins?

My local Facebook pages have led to not only goods being recovered but thieves caught by people posting pics/descriptions of their items that have been stolen OR of items they've been offered (inc in local 2nd hand places) on the pages "have you been offered...was stolen on X date daughter devastated" "someone just offered me...felt dodgy is anyone missing a..."

I think it works partly as it humanises the victims of these thefts.

But I'm erring toward inside job to be honest so would get police involved ASAP.