There's a thief in my room

[MsZ]

I teach students at the 5th grade level. Several weeks ago a student stole my cell phone off my desk. Yes, I know, pretty dumb to leave it there. I've never had any problem with students respecting the privacy of my desk, so this was really surprising. Anyway, it was stolen at the end of the day when there was a lot of activity in the room and I wasn't paying attention to my desk. A female student had been admiring my phone earlier when I was seated at my desk, but I just wasn't concerned. She even picked it up and told me how much she liked it. Her name came up later when I announced someone had stolen my phone. I did speak to her privately, but she denies she took it even when I explained students said they saw her playing with it. I also gave students the opportunity to turn it in announymously, but I never got it back. I never called this students parent because I just couldn't think of what to say without accusing her child of stealing and making her mad. I've never met this female students mother personally and I didn't want this to be our first interaction.

However, yesterday, a stopwatch was stolen off my desk. Again, it was the end of the day, a lot of activity. This same females name came up again this morning when I explained yet another item was stolen off my desk. Two students saw this female student at my desk and witnessed her putting something in her pocket. I have no clue why they didn't say something then because this whole thing may been avoided. So again, I privately questioned this female student about taking the stopwatch. She denied she took it. I explained again that her name came up as someone who was at my desk at the end of the day. She denied it again. I asked her if she had discussed my cell phone being stolen with her mom and she said she had. I also asked if she would feel comfortable confiding to anyone if she ever did have a problem taking things that did not belong to her and she said she would certainly tell her mom. I said that was good and sent her on her way.

Next week is conferences. I really feel I need to discuss these two incidents with her mom. Does anyone feel this is a bad idea? I was going to wait until the end of the conference and ask mom if her daughter had discussed the missing items. I feel I just need to be frank and tell her that her daughter was twice fingered by students who saw her at my desk and saw her suspicous behavior.

Has anyone every dealt with this type of situation and how did you handle it? Did you get permission from your principal before confronting the parent?

Thank you in advance for your advice. I really appreciate it.

 

[linda2671]

I think I would call the mom now.

I've always found that parents get angry if they don't know something before conferences start. I always felt like that was what conferences were for...to discuss the child's progress and any problems they might be having. Well, it seems like the parents' attitude is always, "Why didn't I know about this before now?"
I also think it would be important to talk to your principal about this. They don't like getting calls from parents about issues they haven't known about beforehand. Letting it go for a week might be seen as not wanting to take action on an important issue.

 

[jhteach]

I too, would make te call today. This a hard situation because you don't know how mom will react. I would explain it just as you have posted. Explain that many witnesses have seen her take these items and you have no choice but to call and alert her to this. If you have no satisfaction, I would also think about writing a memo to parents explaining what has happened. Stealing a phone is definitely huge. Kids at times take things form the classroom without our knowing like books and supplies, but a phone??? That is just huge! That is personal property and a huge offense. I hope this works out and that you get your phone back soon good luck!!!

 

[kidsrme11]

Did you check?

Did you check pockets and backpacks? I would have done that first.
Then, I would set up a situation where I could see the thief in action.

 

[MsZ]

Backpacks

I couldn't check the backpacks because I didn't notice my phone or stopwatch was missing until students had left for the day. I have to escort them out of the room quickly after school because I have duty on the sidewalk in the front of the school.

 

[lillian]

This one is tough!

This could end up going in different directions: Mom could say, "Yes, my daughter has an issue with stealing," or, "Those tattling girls are picking on my daughter! Why do you believe them over my daughter? How do you know they didn't steal your things?" So, I'm not sure I would say anything to the mom, just yet.

What do you think of the girls who told on the other girl? I had a couple girls tell on another girl for stealing from a student, and the girls were two really nice, polite, sweet kids, who really liked the other girl they told on. I knew they were telling the truth. Are you certain these two girls are telling the truth?

 

[SuperSub1919]

Call your phone and see who answers!!!!...

this girl hopefully doesnt know your home number! I can see her getting excited over someone actually calling her on her "new cell phone". Then you can catch her!!! Or maybe call the phone when you are in class...it will ring in the offender's pocket!!!!

 

[SuperSub1919]

my post...in more detail:-)

Have your principal come up to your room while you call your cell phone from your room phone. Announce to the class that the principal is coming for a visit because some items have been stolen from you. Tell them that the principal wants to speak with them about stealing. As the principal is talking, make a phone call to your cell phone from your room phone. Don't tell the kids you are calling your phone.

The phone ring might ring in that girl's pocket/backpack with the principal standing right there!!! There would be no doubt about who stole it then, and you would have a witness.

 

[MsZ]

Catching the thief

Oh, I wish I could call the phone. I tried like crazy calling it the day it was stolen in hopes someone would answer, but no such luck.

Anyhow, get this, when I called the cell phone company to tell them my phone was missing, they said I would be liable for any calls made on it up until the time I reported it stolen and put a hold on it, basically, interrupting the service. No calls could be made on it and no calls could be received. And then, when I asked if any calls were made on it, they said yes, but that they couldn't tell ME what number was dialed because of privacy laws. I said "But that is my phone. I'm paying for it, it's my number" and they said too bad, so sad. We can't help you. You can look it up on your next bill. Of course, two weeks later when I got my bill it was printed two days BEFORE my phone was stolen so I have to wait until December to see what numbers were dialed which will be well over 1 month since this whole thing began.

I've pretty much given up on ever getting that phone back. I had to get another phone and report the other one as stolen. The only good thing is that whoever stole it will not be able to get service on it because I reported it stolen.

One of my teaching partners has an idea of putting something really tempting on my desk, like a bowl of change of quarters or dollars. She recommended I put food coloring on the bottom of each coin. When/if they disappear I can ask students the next day if anyone ended up with "blue fingers" last night and HELLO THIEF. She actually did this and it worked. She caught the boy stealing and was able to have a sit-down with him and mom. I'm thinking of trying this. I just want this stealing to stop. It's only November. I'm afraid my purse will end up missing next.

You know what is really making me sad is that I give my students treats (cocoa on Friday mornings and popcorn whenever) on a regular basis. I also have a student store where they can purchase items with my classroom "dollars" and I have auctions for really great things like school supplies, crackers, Capri Sun, bouncy balls, coupons to sit by a friend, no homework passes, etc. and yet one of them is stealing from me! Why?

 

[SuperSub1919]

someone stole my candy today!...

hahaha! I was subbing in a room I have never subbed in today. The kids were great for me so I gave them a piece of candy at the end of the day. I left the bag of candy (just a small ziploc bag) on the teacher's desk. I walked the kids down to the bus and when I came back up...the bag was gone!!! hahahahhahaha! Some kid is gonna have a tummy ache tonight!

 

[Carolyn]

hate the thieves

Today somebody stole my gradebook. We searched through everybody's bookbag. No sign of it. Have no clue at this time where it went to, except I had it this morning.

 

[eelyeliah]

Checking your phone bill online

Most cell phone services offer the option of viewing bills online so that you won't have to wait until the next month to find out which number was dialed. Also, (although I'm not sure about other wireless services than my own - AT&T) the bill should state which city the phone call was made in and what time. This is pretty useless if most, if not all, students in your class live in the same area, but if there's a chance that they live in different cities/towns, you can eliminate some possibilities. I'm sorry this happened to you! I hope everything goes well and hope you'll update us on what happened!