To be pissed off that someone stole my towel?

[TinselAndKnickers]

I went swimming this evening - came to the pool, put my towel on the hooks, had a shower and then I got in. Lots of men are normally in the hot tub and watch you (gross in itself) get in and out of the pool, so I didn't think anything of it.

One particular man, waited for me to get into the far end of the pool and then got up, stole my bright pink towel and then dashed into the changing rooms! I obviously can't go in to the men's so had to locate a member of staff which took around 10 minutes, by which point the man had gone. So I'm pissed off about my nice fluffy towel being stolen, but this next bit is what really wound me up.

The member of staff (a lad in his 20s) checked the changing room and then came back with a soaking wet, faded red towel with stains and holes in it. And said it must be this, I said no it isn't, he said oh well do you want this one then as there's no pink ones in there. I said "I don't really want to use a used, dirty towel that's not mine but I just thought I'd let you know people are stealing and you should probably have someone on duty in the pool area. He said oh well, and shrugged his shoulders!! Another lady overheard and said her towel was also gone, and he said "the only option is to share this one I'm afraid, we don't have spares" and handed it to the other lady then left. Manager at the desk did not care when I then told them.

How disgusting - not only for some random man to steal a towel, but also for the member of staff to offer me a minging old soaking wet towel?! AIBU to be feeling like a stroppy madam?

Disclaimer: I was not stroppy and rude to the staff member. I am just sulking privately here. Also was not expecting a bright white new towel. Just for him to not be an arse!!

Dreamzcancometrue
What makes you think the police would even care about a lost towel?

What makes you think this is about a lost towel?

What makes you think the police would even care about a lost towel?

I regularly go to a sauna that provides towels. They have signs up about nicking towels and police involvement.

As soon as I noticed him picking it up I would have called out to put it back, whilst making my way out of the pool to retrieve the towel. But clearly, they don't take the have a towel poolside because his manky one was in the changing area.

I obviously can’t go into the men’s here’s where you went wrong OP, I absolutely would have followed the nasty little pervert into the men’s, while loudly calling him out.

I’d have had to boil wash and bleach the towel afterwards and demote to lining the dog basket but dammit why are we so conditioned to be polite and observant of rules (such as going into men’s changing rooms) in the face of such cheeky fuckery?

Snowflake I got dry by using a hair dryer and having a good shake to get the worst bits off but I was very soggy in my journey back!

To all those saying I should have followed him in - I thought in a situation like this I would have done but it seems I reacted differently. Also, if a man had walked into the female changing rooms I wouldn't have been best pleased I do agree about the conditioning though.

Rosa I don't think we have an emergency button?

I will be ringing their head office tomorrow to put a formal complaint in about the incident and the staff member as well. Thankfully my membership runs out in a couple of months and I won't be renewing!

It’s not a coincidence that he waited for a woman to hang up a towel and then took it. How many other towels were there and how many belonged to men that had just put them up?

There's a towel thief at the gym I go to, which is a rather nice, posh gym as well so I was a bit surprised. My friend also had his swim shorts stolen out the changing room there! Who the hell steals swim shorts.

Go public- Post something on all the Pool/ gym's social media saying what happened and asking if anyone else has had a similar experience?
It will embarrass the pool, inform you if there is a bigger picture, and maybe put some heat on the perpetrator.

Lots of other towels in there, mostly men were there as usual gawking in the hot tub.

Nico - omg that's awful! I really don't think people should be going swimming without the proper equipment 🤣

They must know who he is though?

You must have a swipe in system which would say who's in when?

From there isn't it just a case of identyfing him from that?

Not a creepy man, but an anonymous thieving woman took my towel from the shower area hook: so nothing there when I got out of the pool.
It's the inconvenience of having nothing to dry yourself.
A woman in the changing room gave me a clean spare one of hers, and I washed it at home and took it back for her.
DH was wondering where the bright yellow Costa Brava beach towel in the wash basket had come from.

I would assume they know who he is - they didn't bother to check. I will be telling head office as soon as I can get through - on hold for 30 minutes earlier and gave up, so I might try again later.

@florriepeck that's so kind of you to take it back - basic human kindness goes a long way!

OP that's grim and quite creepy.

Nothing useful to add sorry.

Yep, not about a towel in my opinion. I reckon he wanted you to see him take the towel and chase him into the changing room. Heaven knows what would have happened.
Or, he wanted to have a staff member ask him to swap so he could get a kick out of you looking cold and wet whilst he said, 'my mistake' like a big I am.
He may have been watching you for a while and planned this. Sorry this happened OP.

Agree Amphe just another example of Creepy Things Men Do To Deliberately Make Women Uncomfortable Which Is Unlikely To Happen The Other Way Round