Cleaner stole clothes?

[TractorAndHeadphones]

Got a new jacket that I left hanging on a chair (as far as I recall). New cleaner came, cleaned and tidied. Now I can’t find my jacket.

I’m reluctant to jump to conclusions but this is an item of clothing so not easily mislaid (like a piece of jewellery). I haven’t worn this jacket out yet. DP and I have both turned the house upside down but can’t find it. It’s a branded sports jacket (think Puma, Nike etc) so not particularly designer/valuable. I’ve considered texting the cleaner to ask if she’s seen it as well but I’d sound really stupid not knowing where stuff is in my own house!

AIBU to wonder whether she had something to do with it? Although it sounds like a strange thing to steak I see no other option. Nobody else has been in my house since.

*unlike a piece of jewellery!

text her - as if she tidied it way somewhere

Yeah just blame the help

Do you have DC. Could someone have put it in the wash thinking it's new so needs a wash.

Did you check your washing machine (she might have tidied it away into the laundry)- or hanging up in the hallway/wardrobe?

I would not risk alienating a good cleaner with a query, personally.

@Filthycop

text her - as if she tidied it way somewhere

That she had tidied it was my first thought - which is why DP and I checked everywhere. We even opened boxes/cabinets that have been untouched since the dawn of the dinosaurs 😂

Nowhere to be seen…

It would be great if she replied that she had tidied it somewhere we magically haven’t looked but what if she said she hadn’t seen it? Is there another explanation?

In no other profession or workplace would a missing jacket automatically be assumed stolen by an employee. Only cleaners are automatically assumed to be thieves.

I'm so confused. Why would you make a thread about this and not just text and ask if she's put it away somewhere? It's really odd to immediately jump to thinking she's taken it?!

Just text and ask her if she remembers seeing a jacket and has she put it away somewhere. You will know by her response.

It could be anywhere it's not likely to be anything to do the cleaner!

Things go missing sometimes. My DDs 18th birthday cards disappeared on the day last December and we only found them 2 weeks ago. No-one stole them or maliciously moved them, they just somehow ended up in a drawer where they shouldn't have been.

Shit happens.

You left it hanging on a chair as far as you recall.

My money is on the fact you put it somewhere else. Memory is very unreliable.

@PlanktonsComputerWife

Did you check your washing machine (she might have tidied it away into the laundry)- or hanging up in the hallway/wardrobe?

I would not risk alienating a good cleaner with a query, personally.

Washing machine, hallway, wardrobe, everywhere. We even checked places where a jacket wouldn’t fit (like tiny drawers) and our store room.

She isn’t a brilliant cleaner, does an ok job for the price but it’s hard to find cleaners around here and it’s near Christmas so I don’t particularly want to have to find a new one .

I’m always texting my cleaner to ask if she’s seen stuff I can’t find. Why wouldn’t you just say I can’t find a jacket, and wondered if you’d hung it up somewhere I’ve not thought of?

@Bananarama21

Yeah just blame the help

And fire her immediately right, without creating a thread about it on MN? :)

There was a thread like this on MN a couple of years ago. Jacket disappeared. I don't think there was a cleaner involved.
A few days later the OP found it. She'd worn it under a big coat and taken them both off together. It was inside the big coat.

I'd presume she tidied it away somewhere and ask if she saw it. At least half the time, she knows where stuff is.

Easy money on being under another coat on a hanger in DH's wardrobe.

Text her before you have to review the hrs of house cctv to re trace your steps can she remember seeing it anywhere.

@Penistoe

Text her before you have to review the hrs of house cctv to re trace your steps can she remember seeing it anywhere.

Seriously, don't do this.

I lost my passport once for months, we literally took the house apart looking for it.
I knew when I had it last because I had to photocopy it for something for work.

Turned out it was still in the photocopier

@Amberflames

I’m always texting my cleaner to ask if she’s seen stuff I can’t find. Why wouldn’t you just say I can’t find a jacket, and wondered if you’d hung it up somewhere I’ve not thought of?

Because my first thought was indeed that she’d hung it up somewhere. Which is why I searched. And when I couldn’t find it I enlisted DP, we’ve both spent several hours searching. Our house isn’t very big and we just moved in so don’t have a lot of junk to search through. And apart from chairs there’s no other place to hang things apart from bathroom and wardrobe.

So it’s unlikely that she’s put it somewhere we haven’t searched. But again it’s not something that makes to steal either…. So that’s not likely . But where else could it be

I suppose this Theead is redundant until I’ve asked her but what if she says she hasn’t seen it what other option is there then?

Do you have a car? It is probably in the boot of the car.

Our cleaner has left things in some really odd places before. Like shoes in the bottom of a toy box. It’s 100% my fault, not hers. I’ve gotten much better with organization over time, but sometimes things are in the way and she works fast.

@beccahamlet

There was a thread like this on MN a couple of years ago. Jacket disappeared. I don't think there was a cleaner involved. A few days later the OP found it. She'd worn it under a big coat and taken them both off together. It was inside the big coat.

That jacket was the closest thing I had to a coat. I got rid of my old ones before moving (they all had holes in anyway). DP has got one that’s hanging in the hallway now and can confirm nothing else under it.

Thanks though that is a good suggestion as to where to look!
We took all our clothes out of the wardrobe (we don’t have many anyway atm) but didn’t unfold them or anything. the jacket is a distinctive colour. Maybe I’ll have another look

Could you have put it on the bed and the duvet covered it and then shes made the bed for you not realizing theres a jacket under maybe?