Cake theft at work

[Villagegreenpreservation]

I work in an office where people bring in cake or treats pretty often- think every birthday/ anniversary/ rainy day/ Monday.
Usually the last to leave wraps them up and then we tuck in to any leftovers the next day.
Could explain my weight gain but I digress. We now have strange happenings however. For three weeks, any leftovers have disappeared. Not just the odd doughnut/ slice of cake but whole, unopened cakes and whole boxes of doughnuts and tubs of chocolate.
We have been told the cleaners likely think it's a perk and to take them and we need to communicate they should be left in the office. I think this is odd. Shouldn't you just leave the stuff especially if unopened and not immediately going out of date? Cleaners are external agency if that makes a difference.

Just put it in a drawer or cupboard. Problem solved.

It's highly unlikely to be the cleaners, it's more likely somebody who knows it will be blamed on the cleaners - after all the low paid, unappreciated staff are often the ones who get the blame
Leave a note on them asking for them to be left for tomorrow.

Has someone new started?

Worked in many offices, have never seen a situation where cleaners would touch anything like that. Ever.

Just put it away.

Simples.

Lock it away or maybe bring smaller cakes in.

I also think it's not likely to be the cleaners. For one night I'd be the last to leave, make sure there's something left over, first in the next morning and see if it's still there.

We had this happening only we all knew who it was and he didn't give a damn, just laughed. He even stole and drank the bosses can of beer and left a 'thank you' note on the empty can.

One day I put a tub of Rocky Road in the freezer section and true to form this lad scarfed the lot. I told him I had laced it with laxative to teach him a lesson (I hadn't!) The fear was such that apparently he spent most of the night on the toilet and much of the following day.

His father thought it was hilarious and he never helped himself again.

Do you have night security staff who patrol the building? We had a problem years ago when night security was contracted out. They were coming into our kitchen, using our tea coffee and milk supplies and watching our telly. I also had a small stress ball type object taken off my desk.

Someone made a lovely bdcake and bought it in. Only half of it got eaten during the day then someone thought it was ok to wrap the remaining half up to take home for her kids. CF. Sod the night and next day staff.

It wasn't me here who said it was the cleaner and I wholeheartedly apologise if I came across as being dismissive about it being "the cleaners". Anything happens here it seems to be a standard phrase. My AIBU was more because I'd been questioned for saying nobody should assume stuff is a free for all especially boxed up things. Like it was a given that anything food wise is there for the taking, even if not open. I really didn't mean to cause offence. It's just a mystery. I so hope nobody is suffering and in need of food. That's an awful thing to contemplate.

No we don't need so much food. There's just been a run of birthdays and also meetings with leftovers hence so much stuff.
Maybe they've been binned which again I question the sanity of, but some places do give blanket "bin it" instructions.

It has to be the peasant cleaners surely

Fuck me mate 🙄

Just lock them away in a cupboard overnight.

I agree that assuming it is the cleaners is patronising in the extreme. Just because someone cleans for a living doesn’t mean they are dishonest or desperate for your left over cakes.

And if you are regularly leaving cardboard boxes of food in the office then theft will soon be the least of your problems. If you don’t want mice or rats the cakes should be left in sealed containers.

Do you put them in the fridge?

Stick a note on 'em saying 'These cakes are to be left as they are.'

Who is last to leave at night?

Buy something well out of date, or keep it at home until it's past the date, transfer it to a box which is in date, leave it in the usual place then wait to see who phones in sick!

Sarcastic note on cake, telling the thief they are 'half baked' if they think it hasn't been noticed.
Nannycam in the kitchen...if they are stealing cake, then other equipment and staff resources are at risk too.

I can't believe anyone would think it 'ok' to take a whole boxed uneaten cake or two unopened boxes of doughnuts. I don't think it's the cleaners, perhaps the one that suggested that is the guilty one trying to deflect blame onto someone else?
Maybe it's more than one person taking the things. Can you check to see who is last to leave, first one in or maybe who uses their id to enter the building 'after hours'? I agree with pp that the items should be locked away in a drawer or cubbard overnight if theft is a problem.

are you sure the cleaners aren't throwing them away?

Just leave a note saying please do not dispose

If there's so much & it's just left out, I can't see why the cleaners shouldn't take some, or actually why they haven't been told to tbh.

As posted though, just leave a note on the stuff.

Oh my God I just couldn't get worked up about it! Buy your own bloody cakes!

The only way the cleaners will be touching it is if they've been told to clear away any food lying about because it can be a hazard (attracts insects/vermin, etc).

Why not put the cakes in a cupboard? It seems to be leaving them lying about that's causing the problem.

This has reminded me of something that happened to me, years ago.

I was working in an office. I had bought cheese sandwiches in for lunch which I left in the fridge.

When I went to get them at lunchtime, someone had taken the cheese out of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have your management make an excuse for the cleaners to not come in one day, keep it secret from the regular staff. If the noms still go missing it's not the cleaners.

Also check the bins if possible. Like PP have mentioned it's possible the cleaners are binning the food, in which case they just need instructions not to.