To feel too embarrassed to give back something we accidentally stole…

[NickD87]

You know how people leave things outside their houses sometimes for people to take?

Today, my husband came home with a Lloyd Looms washing basket. It’s quite nice and we need a new one. I asked him where he had got it and he said there was a house with lots of good things outside it. He brought this but said there were a few other bits we might want to look at.

I went back out and round the corner to this house, to realise that people were actually moving in to the property and the stuff was their ACTUAL stuff.

I find this hilarious and embarrassing in equal measure.

How do I go about returning this item without being weird? Or do I even? Should this be a lesson in leaving things in the street? (Jokes obvs, I should definitely return it).

Not helpful at all but I can just imagine your face when you realised.... hilarious 😂

Well it's a memorable way to meet your new neighbours!

Just take it round and explain. You must return it and they’ll probably laugh about it.

Take it back asap (it’s dark in an hour so you should get away with it)

I would honestly wait until dark, check they are in, leave it with some chocolates or wine, ring the bell and disappear form the scene
would keep an eye from a distance to make sure they open

Hahahaha. I think I’d probably wait until dead of night then sneak out and put it on their doorstep. Then keep my eyes peeled on here for a thread where someone has lost a washing basket while moving house then updates the next day to say it appeared on their doorstep overnight 😂

Dead of night is the best! Hadn’t thought of that. Think I’ll be sneaking out around midnight 😂

It felt like something from a sitcom!!

That’s hilarious. We once lost all our Christmas decorations in a house move… I wonder who’s tree they are adorning this year 😂

Be mindful of ring doorbells/cctv.

Go there with some choccies, blame the DH, have a laugh about it, and invite them over for dinner / drinks.

Wear a balaclava!

You know how people leave things outside their houses sometimes for people to take?

No... I didn't know this.

But no harm done. If it's common where you are, they'll no doubt find it funny when it turns up again. As someone said, pop a note and a small gift inside.

Well your DH stole it so it's up to him to return it! How has this become your problem?

Omg this is hilarious! If it was me I would absolutely take it in good humour and laugh at the mistake so I would go round and explain that sadly I had married a fool and I was really sorry about that. 😂

Take flowers and say welcome to the neighbourhood. Then report back here. 😂

Definitely the DH who needs to right this! So either just pop back on the doorstep or ring the bell and explain/have a laugh about it.

Hahaha!

I'd take it round with a bottle of wine and a load of apologies 😁

Do this! Poor things are probably worried they’ve move somewhere where your neighbours will steal your washing basket soon as look at you.

I did this and then sweated it out, claiming I had no knowledge of the item-it was in my bedroom. Where I had come from, anything on the street was fair game but apparently not in my new neighbourhood!

Omg 😂Your husband needs to go back (when it's dark) and leave it in their garden.

Exactly!

Amazing how quickly women are to put the work of righting a man's wrong on the shoulders of other women.

HE needs to go round and either fess up
To being the unintentional thief or leave it in their doorstep and do the sneak of shame.

Reminds me of the time I was shopping. I went in for just one item and had picked it up, saw some other things I liked, so I got a small trolley, started putting stuff in it but still had this one item in my hand. God knows why. Did my shopping, put the items on the belt, paid the cashier, put my stuff in a bag and walked out. I was the other side of the car park by my car when I realsied that I still had the thing in my hand and had never paid for it!!! And nobody had noticed. So I am standing in the car park thinking that there's probably a security person about to pounce on me, should I take it back (but if I do will they catch me on the way back and think I stole it!), or do I jump in the car and hit the accelator?

Pop some chocolates inside and drop it round, it's a good ice breaker!

(Or make DH do it)

Knock on the door and be honest. Take a bottle as an apology and welcome present. People always appreciate honesty and guts