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“I Will Never Forget The Look On Her Face”: Woman Swaps Sugar For Salt In Her Drink To Catch The Office Thief
As the workday drags on, the minutes going slower than a snail up a tree and the clicking of the keys on the keyboards turning into a semi-soothing white noise, you can’t help but think back to that amazing sammich waiting for you at lunchtime. But a pang of fear strikes your heart ever so silently—what if someone steals it?
Workplace thieves are not as rare as they should be, their long fingers tingling with the craving of ruining someone’s day to fuel their selfish desires. Therefore, it’s always satisfying when these people get their just taste of karma, and in this case, it’s extra salty. A woman decided to share her story on r/PettyRevenge, and I think you may know where this is going.
Don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments below, sharing any similar stories you may have. And if you’re craving more after this one, Bored Panda has got another article for you right here. It’s a juicy one as well—pun intended. Now let’s get into it!
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There’s nothing more frustrating than leaving your food and drinks in the work fridge only to find them all gone when lunchtime comes around
Image credits: Athena (not the actual photo)
One person shared their wonderfully petty revenge on one such coworker, showing that karma is, well, salty
Image credits: Alena Darmel (not the actual photo)
The woman also shared the recipe for her special drink, for all those curious to try it for themselves without having to resort to kleptomania
Image credits: lunalunaluna1999
The taste of karma is a delight for those watching justice unfold, but for the troublemaker—it’s nauseating at the very least. A very clear lesson from this story—don’t take things that aren’t yours to take! But why are these stories so commonplace? Are we predisposed to stealing?
As noted in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, “kleptomania is exceedingly rare, whereas shoplifting is relatively common.” Kleptomania occurs in approximately 0.3–0.6% of the general population, yet there’s something about the work environment that just triggers a surge of wanting to own your coworker’s things.
According to Art Markman, human behavior is focused on doing things that feel right in the short term rather than things that feel right in the long term. The consequences of one’s actions feel more distant compared to the urge to eat or have a tasty drink. Art believes that to decrease small thefts in the workplace, we need to start by making it harder for people to do the wrong thing, but that may be easier said than done.
The key to this puzzle may lie in the motives for stealing in the first place. Brianna Morton shared the insights she gathered from those who’ve been workplace thieves themselves. Some of the reasons for their nefarious actions included seeking revenge on another thieving individual, desperation, and wanting to be a nuisance on purpose.
It’s sad to say, but stealing can become an addiction. According to WebMD, when your brain’s opioid system is unbalanced, you develop strong urges to steal, accompanied by anxiety, arousal, and tension. After stealing, you get a sense of pleasure and relief. Sometimes, you may feel guilt or remorse after the act, but you’re still unable to control the urge.
However, no pleasure should come at the expense of another person, and being stolen from is rarely on anyone’s bucket list. So, all those who are stealing for any other reason than the absolute need for their longevity and survival can get a bunch of salt running down their throat.
We hope that the original poster got their just deserts and they were never stolen from again. And that the lady doing the stealing learned a very valuable lesson. Let us know your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, telling us about any similar stories you may have. I shall see you in the next one! Toodaloo!
The internet gave a round of applause for the woman and shared their own stories. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Some decided to clarify why she decided to go down the salt route if she could have waited to see the thief in action
The rest added their own ways of taking revenge upon food and drink thieves, so this might inspire some of you!
What do you think ?
Lauren S 2 years ago
I never understood stealing other people’s food or drinks. I did this once by accident. I grabbed a root beer from the fridge and a staff came to me like 20 min later asking if I took his root beer. I said, “No, this is mine.” He kept asking so I went to the fridge to my lunch bag and lo and behold, there was my root beer. I had grabbed his loose in the fridge instead of mine in my bag. Of course, I gave him my unopened one and apologized. Is that not how adults handle things? He wasn’t a jerk, just persistent and rightfully so because he was correct that it was his! We also had communal freeze pops (those super cheap ones) in our freezer. Random people would replenish it over the summer, everyone was welcome to them.
Winnie Brogan Wiggins 2 years ago
Accidents happen, especially when we get busy with work. But like you said, you apologized and gave him your unopened drink. I know he appreciated your honesty.
Load More Replies...
Xenon 2 years ago
Did this with frozen hamburgers, covered them with a s**t ton of cayenne. Suddenly a coworker was puking and had to go home. I have zero sympathy for any type of thief.
ADB 2 years ago
Did something similar - someone kept stealing my frozen burritos, so I injected one with The End - a crazy hot, hot sauce. Later the day after I put it in the freezer, I heard a coworker complaining, "Who would do something like that, I thought I was going to die ". Saw the wrapper with almost the whole burrito in his trash...
Load More Replies...
Daffydillz~ 2 years ago
Wonder if the thief was as salty as that drink was, lol 😆? That's just a lowdown thing to do to others. It was well deserved pettiness. OP couldn't know for sure that they'd drink it in front of her and doesn't need to address it with them if she doesn't want to. The salt did the talking for her. I don't blame her at all, a month or so postpartum, I'd say her hormones were still very out of whack. Especially since the job didn't care about the thieving being done. You'd think they would because if you steal from your fellow staff members, you'll steal from the company. I hope she has better luck these days.
Nykky 2 years ago
I really don't understand some idiots in social media bringing up adjacent useless points like that anyways. The point isn't that she saw them, the point was to teach the jerk a lesson. Same thing happened with me. I made a post asking for nonmint mouth hygiene stuffs, as I'm really allergic to mint, and only talked about how the taste was super bitter. So someone commented "ThAt DoEsN't MeAn YoU'rE aLlErGiC." Like...tf does that matter with my post? I just want nonmint toothpaste that isn't just for kids you ninny.
Load More Replies...
Sonja 2 years ago (edited)
I really despise people who steal from coworkers. And no, there's absolutely no excuse. I often read that people try to excuse this by claiming the food thief could be desperate. But that's still not good enough for an excuse. Even if they were desperate and hungry, they still have to ask. It could very well be that the person you are stealing from also has financial problems and that food is the only thing they eat all day. And in those cases were there is no other food available stealing from another person who has then to go hungry is just nasty and cruel. It could harm them badly too and that a person is willing to do that to another means no matter their situation, they're bad people. Also there are studies on this topic. Decent people who fall on hard times don't just steal from random people or take everything another person has. They usually feel very ashamed and they might take a part or steal a little amount, but if your whole food is gone the thief is just a selfish AH.
Lisa Fisher 2 years ago
And what if the person you are stealing from has food allergies, and they prepared their special food for their own needs? Your theft now leaves them with nothing safe to eat!
Load More Replies...
Lisa Watson 2 years ago
Was working at a smallish company and they were having a problem with a food thief. Signs went up noting that stealing food was still stealing and when caught the thief would be fired. I was taking my break in the lunch room when a warehouse guy came in, rummaged through a fridge and took out a sub. Wrapper had a name written on it, figured it was the guy's lunch, went back to my book. Owner of the company came in, looked in the fridge, looked at the wrapper for the sub on the table, asked the guy if he liked that kind of sub. Oh yeah! Me too, that's why I stopped and bought it on the way in this morning, even had them write my name on it so no one would take it on accident. You're fired.
Mary w 2 years ago
Yeah! What gross person actually rumages around everyone else's food to find what he wants to eat?! Wow!
Load More Replies...
Seth 2 years ago
When management fails to address childish issues themselves, they should expect childish solutions.
And the like 2 years ago
I know someone who peed in their Coke bottle they were keeping IN THEIR OWN DRAWER in the office because someone was stealing it. He only had to do this once 😁
Cecilia Matthews 2 years ago
My friend’s bottle of water was getting taken (she even wrote her name on it). I suggested she pour out half the water, then fill it up with white vinegar, but she was too polite to do that, even to a thief.
Load More Replies...
Bruce Harris 2 years ago
Years ago, I lived in a big old house with four roommates. somebody kept stealing my food out of the refrigerator I went and got a Marie callender's chocolate cream pie and some chocolate ex-lax, shaved that X-lax on to the pie.. voila! I found my pie thief......
Mary w 2 years ago
My mom put chocolate ex-lax in my lunchbag in first grade because someone kept stealing my dessert! 🤭
Load More Replies...
Mad McQueen 2 years ago
New kid at my job apparently didn't understand if you don't bring it don't eat it. It's not your house so don't help yourself. He ate a few guys meals and they were out for blood. But just them saying if around everyone eventually he heard it an stopped. He ate two week old bbq burgers from the fridge from a company picnic when he started and made a comment how we have a cool stocked fridge. That raised the eyebrows and when food went missing they knew who it was an made the revenge comments.
Lauren S 2 years ago
I never understood stealing other people’s food or drinks. I did this once by accident. I grabbed a root beer from the fridge and a staff came to me like 20 min later asking if I took his root beer. I said, “No, this is mine.” He kept asking so I went to the fridge to my lunch bag and lo and behold, there was my root beer. I had grabbed his loose in the fridge instead of mine in my bag. Of course, I gave him my unopened one and apologized. Is that not how adults handle things? He wasn’t a jerk, just persistent and rightfully so because he was correct that it was his! We also had communal freeze pops (those super cheap ones) in our freezer. Random people would replenish it over the summer, everyone was welcome to them.
Winnie Brogan Wiggins 2 years ago
Accidents happen, especially when we get busy with work. But like you said, you apologized and gave him your unopened drink. I know he appreciated your honesty.
Load More Replies... Xenon 2 years ago
Did this with frozen hamburgers, covered them with a s**t ton of cayenne. Suddenly a coworker was puking and had to go home. I have zero sympathy for any type of thief.
ADB 2 years ago
Did something similar - someone kept stealing my frozen burritos, so I injected one with The End - a crazy hot, hot sauce. Later the day after I put it in the freezer, I heard a coworker complaining, "Who would do something like that, I thought I was going to die ". Saw the wrapper with almost the whole burrito in his trash...
Load More Replies... Daffydillz~ 2 years ago
Wonder if the thief was as salty as that drink was, lol 😆? That's just a lowdown thing to do to others. It was well deserved pettiness. OP couldn't know for sure that they'd drink it in front of her and doesn't need to address it with them if she doesn't want to. The salt did the talking for her. I don't blame her at all, a month or so postpartum, I'd say her hormones were still very out of whack. Especially since the job didn't care about the thieving being done. You'd think they would because if you steal from your fellow staff members, you'll steal from the company. I hope she has better luck these days.
Nykky 2 years ago
I really don't understand some idiots in social media bringing up adjacent useless points like that anyways. The point isn't that she saw them, the point was to teach the jerk a lesson. Same thing happened with me. I made a post asking for nonmint mouth hygiene stuffs, as I'm really allergic to mint, and only talked about how the taste was super bitter. So someone commented "ThAt DoEsN't MeAn YoU'rE aLlErGiC." Like...tf does that matter with my post? I just want nonmint toothpaste that isn't just for kids you ninny.
Load More Replies... Sonja 2 years ago (edited)
I really despise people who steal from coworkers. And no, there's absolutely no excuse. I often read that people try to excuse this by claiming the food thief could be desperate. But that's still not good enough for an excuse. Even if they were desperate and hungry, they still have to ask. It could very well be that the person you are stealing from also has financial problems and that food is the only thing they eat all day. And in those cases were there is no other food available stealing from another person who has then to go hungry is just nasty and cruel. It could harm them badly too and that a person is willing to do that to another means no matter their situation, they're bad people. Also there are studies on this topic. Decent people who fall on hard times don't just steal from random people or take everything another person has. They usually feel very ashamed and they might take a part or steal a little amount, but if your whole food is gone the thief is just a selfish AH.
Lisa Fisher 2 years ago
And what if the person you are stealing from has food allergies, and they prepared their special food for their own needs? Your theft now leaves them with nothing safe to eat!
Load More Replies... Lisa Watson 2 years ago
Was working at a smallish company and they were having a problem with a food thief. Signs went up noting that stealing food was still stealing and when caught the thief would be fired. I was taking my break in the lunch room when a warehouse guy came in, rummaged through a fridge and took out a sub. Wrapper had a name written on it, figured it was the guy's lunch, went back to my book. Owner of the company came in, looked in the fridge, looked at the wrapper for the sub on the table, asked the guy if he liked that kind of sub. Oh yeah! Me too, that's why I stopped and bought it on the way in this morning, even had them write my name on it so no one would take it on accident. You're fired.
Mary w 2 years ago
Yeah! What gross person actually rumages around everyone else's food to find what he wants to eat?! Wow!
Load More Replies... Seth 2 years ago
When management fails to address childish issues themselves, they should expect childish solutions.
And the like 2 years ago
I know someone who peed in their Coke bottle they were keeping IN THEIR OWN DRAWER in the office because someone was stealing it. He only had to do this once 😁
Cecilia Matthews 2 years ago
My friend’s bottle of water was getting taken (she even wrote her name on it). I suggested she pour out half the water, then fill it up with white vinegar, but she was too polite to do that, even to a thief.
Load More Replies... Bruce Harris 2 years ago
Years ago, I lived in a big old house with four roommates. somebody kept stealing my food out of the refrigerator I went and got a Marie callender's chocolate cream pie and some chocolate ex-lax, shaved that X-lax on to the pie.. voila! I found my pie thief......
Mary w 2 years ago
My mom put chocolate ex-lax in my lunchbag in first grade because someone kept stealing my dessert! 🤭
Load More Replies... Mad McQueen 2 years ago
New kid at my job apparently didn't understand if you don't bring it don't eat it. It's not your house so don't help yourself. He ate a few guys meals and they were out for blood. But just them saying if around everyone eventually he heard it an stopped. He ate two week old bbq burgers from the fridge from a company picnic when he started and made a comment how we have a cool stocked fridge. That raised the eyebrows and when food went missing they knew who it was an made the revenge comments.
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