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Original poster

Please I need advice on how to handle this - think another child has stolen something from ds

17 replies

ssd · 17/04/2007 10:06

ds2 was out playing last week and asked me if he could take out his ds nintendo. I was busy at the time and I didn't think it through, I said ok and forgot about it. He plays out next to our house with friends from round here, we know them all well. They are a mixed bunch ages 6 to 11 but generally nice kids (have known most of them years). Anyway, some of the kids had a shot of the ds, and when my ds1 seen it he put it next to his bike to look after it. Then later dh too in ds1's bike and the nintendo was nowhere to be seen. We've hunted and hunted for it and also I've asked all the kids and most of the parents if they've seen it, but all the kids say they haven't seen it/found it. Now I know a stranger could have passed and nabbed it but as my ds2 is young I was out with him watching him a lot of the time and didn't see anyone around all day, and none of the kids who were playing including my 2 seen anyone strange about.

Now I know I certainly can't say to any child "you've taken it" as I don't know where it is and I would never upset any child or accuse them falsely. But now another child who was passing said he seen a child walking towards her home holding a ds nintendo and playing the game that was in ds2's nintendo. I know this girl doesn't have a ds nintendo, her mum told me. But what do I do?? I can't accuse this girl, I've got no proof, but if she has it I just want her to know she'll not be in any trouble if she returns it, I just want it back. my ds2 saved up all his birthday and Xmas money to buy the nintendo and he really loved it. I know I should never have let it leave the house, but I made a mistake. I take all the blame. I just don't know what if anything I can do next. The girl I'm thinking might have it lives with both parents, but I know them well and they don't seem to know what she does most of the time, they've been to my door a lot asking if she's here and thats late at night. I think if they seen her with something new they wouldn't bother to ask where she got it.

Please can anyone give me any advice, I'm going nuts about this!

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Original poster

ssd · 17/04/2007 10:15

bump - know its a long read - please help!

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ScottishThistle · 17/04/2007 10:19

I think I'd call her Mother & ask if her daughter has your son's nintendo as he appears to have mislaid it...What else can you do really?

PregnantGrrrl · 17/04/2007 10:19

hmm. you could give them a call and say something like 'i was wondering if your DD/DS might have picked it up by mistake, thinking it was theirs?' Bit more diplomatic than accusing them.

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Hassled · 17/04/2007 10:21

What a nightmare. All you can really do is the put the word around to all the neighbours, particularly the Prime Suspect's parents, that Nintendo is lost, DS2 is devastated etc. - maybe put up some "Lost Nintendo" posters around the place - and hope that either guilt or Prime Suspect's parents noticing the Nintendo will do the job.

prettybird · 17/04/2007 10:21

I think you just need to bite the bullet and ask all the parents if they could check and see if the nintendo has somehow made it back into their house. Just say your son has misalid it and one of the children could have inadvertantly taken it home. That was you are not pointing any fingers.

Are there any distiguishing features? A stciker, a scartch? Or is the game that was in it the only thing that yuo can mention it.

PregnantGrrrl · 17/04/2007 10:25

i like the idea of posters! maybe the offer of a small reward might make it suddenly reappear? They don't deserve it, i know, but it might be worth it to get it back.

Original poster

ssd · 17/04/2007 10:31

aaah girls!!

I've put up posters offering a reward

I've been to this girl and most of the others parents

No joy............................

What do you all think of the idea of getting a sheet of A4 with a copy of the nintendo on it(for parents who don't know exactly what it actually looks like) and putting please can you all double check as this has got lost and hasn't tirned up - not in an accusing tone, more a begging one!

Or would it be better to go to their doors again (what puts me off doung this is the fsct the kids are there and immediately say "I've not got it mum")

AAARGH!!!! nightmare!

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sweetheart · 17/04/2007 10:38

who said they saw this girl with a ds? I would be inclined to go and ask more - make sure this child was definatly seen playing a ds. Then I'd say to the parents that someone has told you that she was seen with it.

Original poster

ssd · 17/04/2007 10:41

agree, I planning on asking the child who seen her myself and also get the child to identify this girl

I would then go to her parents only if I totally believed this child and was sure it was this girl

Feel the parents would bawl me out, not the most agreeable of people.........

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sweetheart · 17/04/2007 10:49

You don't have to accuse their dd of having it - just go to them and say that "person a" saw your dd with a nintendo on the day it went missing. You have been looking in the area your ds said he had it but is there any chance that their dd has put it down somewhere else. Perhaps you could ask her to show you where she was playing with it - that way she'll know that your aware she had it but your not directly accusing her. Perhaps you could drop into conversation that you know she doesn't own a nintendo of her own, that way if she's seen with one again (if she has stolen it) she'll also be aware that you'll know it's not hers.

prettybird · 17/04/2007 10:50

Is it worth getting ds (and a few friends) to go and play out her house? You never know what they might find!

Original poster

ssd · 17/04/2007 10:51

good idea!

thanks!

God I hope we get it back, haven't a hope in hell of finding the money for another one, poor wee soul's breaking his heart and ITS ALL MY FAULT!!!

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prettybird · 17/04/2007 10:51

I like sweetheart's diplomatic way of doing it!

Original poster

ssd · 17/04/2007 10:52

pb, no one is ever allowed in this girls house and her mum told me her bedroom is such a mess nothing could ever be found in it.........

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prettybird · 17/04/2007 10:59

SOunds like you will have to go with sweetheart's diplmatic approach and if it doesn't work, and if the other child is adamant about this girl having had the nintendo on her way home, then bite the bullet and ask the mum to have a look in the tip that is this girl's bedroom. You could still be diplomatic and say that given that it is such a mess, maybe she had just forgotten and then lost it, and could she (the mum) please just check, as your ds is distraught). If necessary, you could ask all the other parents to double-check thier children's rooms. It's an expensive piece of kit to loose and I don't think it is unreasonable to try to do everything you can to find it again.

sweetheart · 17/04/2007 11:34

I hope you find it - your poor ds could you claim on house insurance if you can't find it?

I have just brought my dd a nintendo ds light for her birthday - at least now I know not to let her take it outside.

Original poster

ssd · 17/04/2007 20:25

thanks for advice again!

well I went to see the child who saw the girl and poor wee soul sounds a bit vague, I think he did see a girl walking home with it but he's young and I don't want him to feel he's been interrogated...............

Dh went to girls house tonight, dad said he's ask the girl when she comes home

dh said he'll probably not even bother to ask her and if he does she'll just say "no I didn't see it" and that'll be that

what else can I do?

I've asked the parents, any parent with a bit of sense would check the childs room, but this girls dad went stright out to the garden after dh spoke to him

honestly I could cry

at least you won't make the mistake I've made now sweetheart.

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