To think my neighbour stole my laptop?

[StarWa]

This is going to sound a bit ridiculous, but I promise it's true, unless I've lost my mind.

I went away for three weeks. During this time I asked my NDN to look after my cat - I left all the food, litter, poo bags etc.

I offered them £10 per day to do this, however, they refused and said I could repay the favour one day. We are quite friendly, she's a teacher and he works for a bank - both late thirties. Not that it matters, just so I'm not dripfeeding.

I take in a lot of Amazon deliveries for them and they would do the same for me.

I got home today and my laptop is gone - I always keep it in the same place on my desk. It was 100% there before I left. Thinking they might have moved it for whatever reason (fine) I text her to ask.

She told me I better not be accusing her of stealing it because she would never do that. I said I wasn't saying that at all, just a bit perplexed as I didn't take it with me.

Now she hasn't replied, but she's read my message.

If you had texted me to ask if I'd moved your laptop I would either say yes or no. I wouldn't assume you were accusing me of stealing it, and personally I see the immediate jump to that conclusion as a bit suspicious.

However, I have raging ADHD and zero object permanence, so when I lose things I always assume it's my own fault. I quite often set up accidental treasure hunts for myself by putting my belongings down in the wrong place when distracted.

When my parents first moved into their marital home my mum asked her neighbour to water her house plants. Cheeky mare asked my mum when she got back where she’d got a particular kitchen utensil my mum kept in a drawer as she would like one too. Never stole anything though. Even so, mum never asked her again.

The neighbour’s reaction reminds me of this

@CounsellorTroi What? I don't understand how that is cheeky?

[quote canarycages]@CounsellorTroi What? I don't understand how that is cheeky?[/quote]
Obviously the neighbour had been rummaging through the drawers when she didn’t need to be.

@BobBobbity I love that book!!

@Purplefrizz

Oh, that makes sense! Been up half the night with a teething toddler so my head isn't screwed on properly today.

I’m forever misplacing my iPad, I swear I’ve left it it one place snd it isn’t. Thank god for the find my iPad feature and it rings an alarm!

What if it is in the house but not where you left it? Will you forever be thinking they looked at it and forgot to put it back where they found it.

[quote canarycages]@Purplefrizz

Oh, that makes sense! Been up half the night with a teething toddler so my head isn't screwed on properly today.[/quote]
I remember those days

@StarWa

This is going to sound a bit ridiculous, but I promise it's true, unless I've lost my mind.

I went away for three weeks. During this time I asked my NDN to look after my cat - I left all the food, litter, poo bags etc.

I offered them £10 per day to do this, however, they refused and said I could repay the favour one day. We are quite friendly, she's a teacher and he works for a bank - both late thirties. Not that it matters, just so I'm not dripfeeding.

I take in a lot of Amazon deliveries for them and they would do the same for me.

I got home today and my laptop is gone - I always keep it in the same place on my desk. It was 100% there before I left. Thinking they might have moved it for whatever reason (fine) I text her to ask.

She told me I better not be accusing her of stealing it because she would never do that. I said I wasn't saying that at all, just a bit perplexed as I didn't take it with me.

Now she hasn't replied, but she's read my message.

Any update OP?

It'll be in a cupboard or in a bag in a cupboard. Nobody leaves a laptop out to go on holiday, it's always a last second scramble to put it somewhere.

@MsAgnesDiPesto

How about going round and asking her for details the times she came in each day, so you can add the information to the police report you’re going to make to report the burglary?

If it’s not in your house and she didn’t take it, then you must have had an intruder. Ask her if it’s possible she left the door unlocked on one of the times she came in. Do it in person so you can watch her face. If she’s not guilty you will need all this for a police report anyway.

This.

And the tracking thing.

I think it's a little odd that she immediately accused you of thinking she'd pinched it. Depending upon how you worded your enquiry, it wouldn't have occurred to me to think that I was being accused of theft (unless I had stolen something)

Well now I’m invested.

My money is on the op having put it somewhere else out of view and forgetting she’s done that.

NO good dead goes unpunished

That's not what Jesus said.

@SchadenfreudePersonified

NO good dead goes unpunished

That's not what Jesus said.

People say that as a response to “no good deed goes unrewarded” as often you do a good deed and get it thrown back in your face.

I leave my laptop on my desk if I go on holiday (unless it comes with me).

Bit different, because usually my sister is house sitting for me, but I wouldn't automatically hide it away. It's hardly an expensive one - the TV downstairs is probably worth more!

Check the spelling @PriamFarrl
Shades of Lazarus at work.

It would be quite weird for her to steal your laptop as she’s right next door.

I would further text her and say I’m not accusing you of stealing it, but could someone have followed you in when you dealt with the cat?

People say that as a response to “no good deed goes unrewarded” as often you do a good deed and get it thrown back in your face.

I know - there was a typo.

I agree it would be so easy to hide as one of the last things you do before leaving and then forget if you don't have a regular hiding place. I find it more unusual to think of leaving a laptop out in view anyway.

If it doesn't turn up and there are no signs of burglary, did the neighbour bring anyone else in for any reason? During building work a couple of years ago my builders teen son turned a couple of times (lived not far) and the builders had him making brews etc but the kid was also having a rummage around and going into rooms he had no need to out of sight of the builders. The teen was an arrogant sneaky kid but as I didn't want to sour relations with the builder I ended up working from home for a few weeks to put a stop to it. Could the neighbour have roped in a kid or family friend to come and look at or help with the cats and been able to wander in the house?

But it’s weird she jumped straight to defensiveness and wrote stealing

I'm guessing op found the laptop and is mortified, and thinking of a way to explain to the neighbours.

Have you found it?

No good deed goes unpunished is a song in Wicked. Just because Jesus didn't say it, it's still a saying.

Also wondering when the OP it's going to come back and admit that she found her laptop hidden somewhere...