Breakroom refrigerator theft

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Both of my jobs have signs on the fridge from exasperated coworkers telling people to stop stealing the food of others.

Seriously? If it's not yours, don't take it folks. If you forgot your food, do not, I repeat, DO NOT steal the food of others.

And on a related topic, please take your rotting leftovers out of the fridge after a month or two, ok?

In my previous career I worked in IT for a bank. There was someone who would steal things from my lunch box. I also used to raise Yorkies. One night (i Worked 3rd shift) I took some of the dog's KIBBLE AND BITS and sealed it in a plastic bag and left it next to my lunch bag. Well the thief must have thought someone forgot it because when I came back from lunch, my coworker of many years was sitting in front of the computer screen chowing down on the dog food like it was a good trail mix. I watched him eat the whole bag and told him at the end of the shift it was dog food. I never had a problem again.

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I might be really constipated and need to spike my food with laxatives! That's not illegal, correct?

Aggravated assault

Many other examples out there, laxatives are the more common prank resulting in arrest.

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Who specified a pharmaceutical agent? I happen to, on occasion, enjoy extremely spicy food. Not my fault if someone stealing food can't handle it. I don't routinely pack anything spicy but if my food were to go missing, I just might plan on eating something super spicy several days in a row.

There have been posts about poisoning food with pharmaceutical agents in this thread.

You act as though I personally care or I am the police, I think it is hilarious honestly.

That being said though, tainting food to prevent theft is generally ill advised and will likely result in arrest if there is any injury, even if the added ingredient is a normally consumed item for you.

The point is, as an adult, is it worth the risk of being arrested, having to bail yourself out, and then explaining that you were totally not tainting your food and you normally spike your food with an abnormally high concentration of spicy food items? Just make sure that if that was your defense you are actually capable of consuming said tainted food if asked to prove it in front of an officer or judge lol.

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Aggravated assault

Many other examples out there, laxatives are the more common prank resulting in arrest.

Yeah, I don't remotely buy this argument...

its tantamount to a burglar suing a homeowner because he got shot when he broke in (a lawsuit that happens occasionally but is never successful).

I will do what I want with my lunch - if you steal it, then that sucks for you if you don't like what you get.

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Yeah, I don't remotely buy this argument...

its tantamount to a burglar suing a homeowner because he got shot when he broke in (a lawsuit that happens occasionally but is never successful).

I will do what I want with my lunch - if you steal it, then that sucks for you if you don't like what you get.

LOL.

A lawsuit is not the same thing as being arrested for aggravated assault. Shooting a burglar in the act is not the same scenario although it does not mean being legal trouble free, I would say leaving traps for burglars would be more akin to this scenario...firmly decided as no bueno by Katko v. Briney.

Lets say you are make it past the criminal case and you make it past the civil case, was the days-weeks off of work, thousands of dollars in legal fees, and all the trouble worth it? For my entertainment to watch I say yes, for those who contemplating this I say your mileage may vary and please upload everything to YouTube.

Just google laxative, food, arrested. Interesting results.

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I keep it simple, I don't really carry food, I'd rather just get by on a cup of coffee.

Good for you. I can't get by on a cup of coffee and I shouldn't have to if I brought food to eat during my meal break.

I read the post and am shocked that nurses are talking about putting things in food to hurt someone over few dollars.

I didn't put something in food to hurt someone, I did it to make them uncomfortable because they stole from me. This shocks you but stealing doesn't??? What makes you think all of these people telling you that it is wrong to take other people's food are doing so because it's over a few dollars? How about they are telling you it's wrong because you taking something means someone else is going without?

Your desire to eat something that doesn't belong to you no matter what the reason is not a reason to deprive someone else of their dinner!!! For me it doesn't matter how much it costs I'm being made to suffer without my meal because you ate it and I don't have time to go get another one or there isn't anything open where I can buy another dinner! maybe I do have time and there is someplace open but I don't have enough money with me to get it??? you still ok with taking a little something from me because you didn't plan ahead??? you really think it's all just about a few dollars?? what is really wrong with you?

I find it petty, and avoid this stuff at all costs.

unless you are really hungry what with your special relationship with food and my soup is just the ticket to make you feel better. then it's ok. then you should be able to take my dinner and I shouldn't mind. and if I complain, I'm being petty. Are you for real?

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There have been posts about poisoning food with pharmaceutical agents in this thread.

That being said though, tainting food to prevent theft is generally ill advised and will likely result in arrest if there is any injury, even if the added ingredient is a normally consumed item for you.

The point is, as an adult, is it worth the risk of being arrested, having to bail yourself out, and then explaining that you were totally not tainting your food and you normally spike your food with an abnormally high concentration of spicy food items? Just make sure that if that was your defense you are actually capable of consuming said tainted food if asked to prove it in front of an officer or judge lol.

I'd like to see the Esq along with your credentials.

It'd be hard to prove who's lunch contained the "poison" in the first place. Who has the burden of proof here? And, let's just say said culprit claims "poison" from a laxative [assault or whatever other term they may claim]... how would they know it was a laxative versus food poisoning?

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I'd like to see the Esq along with your credentials.

It'd be hard to prove who's lunch contained the "poison" in the first place. Who has the burden of proof here? And, let's just say said culprit claims "poison" from a laxative [assault or whatever other term they may claim]... how would they know it was a laxative versus food poisoning?

LOL.

Per the TOS, I do not give legal advice.

I find it hilarious though that people think tainting food to prevent workplace theft is somehow a novel idea. You guys seriously think you are the first ones to think of tainting food or that you are super James Bond sneaky?

Is tainting food morally justified? Sure. Legally justified? No. Lots of case law on the topic.

Please do not believe me, Google the topic, there are bazillions of articles on the topic. I promise the issue of workplace food theft is not isolated to your local community hospital and that tainting food is not a new idea.

I personally have no qualms about tainting food but please recognize that it does not come without serious risk. Just please videotape the tainting and following responses by your employer and the authorities regardless of outcome, I love those videos.

BTW

You do not have to be found guilty to be arrested for aggravated assault, criminal mischief etc. The failure to prove guilt comes after the arrest...legal fees...termination...etc...but generally before the civil suit.

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I don't think it would look good for anyone to try this in the eyes of the law, especially if you are a nurse. Even discussing this is innapropriate in my opinion. We are nurses, are we basically saying that is someone pissess us off, it is ok to put chemicals in their food? I certainly want no part of it, for me I just avoid the whole darn thing and in the rare occassion when I put something in a public refrigerator if it is missing, no biggie.

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I find it hilarious though that people think tainting food to prevent workplace theft is somehow a novel idea. You guys seriously think you are the first ones to think of tainting food or that you are super James Bond sneaky?

Please do not believe me, Google the topic, there are bazillions of articles on the topic. I promise the issue of workplace food theft is not isolated to your local community hospital and that tainting food is not a new idea.

I guess I missed the part where people posting about this thought it was a singular unique situation or that tainting food for thieves is novel. lol I don't think anyone here really thinks of themselves as James Bond or the first ever when it comes to putting hot sauce in food that might get stolen! lol!!

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I don't think it would look good for anyone to try this in the eyes of the law, especially if you are a nurse.

Asystole giving his thoughts on what is and isn't a crime does not defend your position in the least. Being a nurse has nothing to do with it a thief is a thief.

Even discussing this is innapropriate in my opinion. We are nurses, are we basically saying that is someone pissess us off, it is ok to put chemicals in their food?

then you are being inappropriate. if it actually were inappropriate to discuss, which I don't believe is the case. if someone pisses me off I'm not going to put anything in THEIR food. If they steal MY food which I have seasoned or spiced however the heck I like to season it then they have whatever consequence comes of it. next thing you know someone with a peanut allergy is going to scream that they didn't know the sandwich they stole from my lunch bag contained peanuts????

you still can't defend this position that it's No Biggie to take other people's property no matter what you say.

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If they steal MY food which I have seasoned or spiced however the heck I like to season it then they have whatever consequence comes of it. next thing you know someone with a peanut allergy is going to scream that they didn't know the sandwich they stole from my lunch bag contained peanuts????

You do have home insurance right? You see anything about proximate cause?

If you put peanuts in your sandwich, with the expectation that someone would eat it, knowing that it would cause harm you would be criminally liable. Even if you had no expectation you may still be liable even if it was not illegal.

Seasoning a food item in an effort to harm someone, even if they obtain the item illegally, is generally illegal.

Traps and poisons are funny but no bueno.

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