How Do You Protect Your Food from Being Stolen at work?

[Deactivated] on 17/11/2019 - 21:33
Last edited 18/11/2019 - 11:11

Someone stole my birthday cake and replaced it with a reduced for quick sale mudcake from woolies :(

Context: I've started a tradition where I bring a half 'n half cake to work to celebrate my birthday. This cake is usually made up of my wife's birthday cake and mine as we often have a joint birthday celebration. This year, it was an oreo cookies 'n cream cheesecake and a berry mousse genoise cake, which were imagined , designed and created by my kids, under the supervision of a family friend who is an executive pastry chef. So home-baked, one-of-a-kind, made-with-love-but-looks-completely-amazing cakes.

Left it in the fridge early in the morning. Came back at 2 p.m and the cake was gone.In it's place was a $2.50, stale mudcake from woolies with a note with my name written on it.

How do I prevent this from happening again?

Cheers,
JJB

Edit : The cake thief contacted me today with a heartfelt apology and offered to shout me lunch and/or drinks. All good :)

Education & Work

Comments

                • [Deactivated] on 18/11/2019 - 16:13

                  @try2bhelpful: Caramel flan, with or without coconut flakes? My go-to last minute desert. Awkward to serve though.

                  • try2bhelpful on 18/11/2019 - 16:23

                    @[Deactivated]: Sounds excellent. Which meet up will you be at?

                    • [Deactivated] on 18/11/2019 - 16:39

                      @try2bhelpful: Dunno. Can't do weekdays or CBD because of the little one :(

                      • try2bhelpful on 18/11/2019 - 16:48

                        @[Deactivated]: The burden of parenthood. You need to hold your own with the kid. You can give him a nameplate with JV on it.

          • bajillionaire on 19/11/2019 - 13:35
            +2

            @[Deactivated]: "A moment of weakness", WTF? This person must have the self control of a kindergartner.

  • WoodYouLikeSomeCash on 17/11/2019 - 22:16
    +10

    buy your own fridge and bring it to work.

    • iforgotmysocks on 18/11/2019 - 06:44
      +24

      Or better yet, buy your own work.

      • orangetrain on 18/11/2019 - 08:19
        +12

        Ozb: I own the company yet cake still got stolen.

        • iforgotmysocks on 18/11/2019 - 09:30
          +2

          Can you still buy people?

        • cameldownunder on 18/11/2019 - 15:37

          Were you insured ?

          I would put out a 10% reward for the person who finds the cake !

    • Clear on 18/11/2019 - 10:16

      That's what I did but had to put a padlock on it. I think the beer is partly to blame ;)

  • MsBin on 17/11/2019 - 22:20
    +1

    Well that’s just rude- bit of ‘free’ chocolate cake with some Ex-Lax added might help sort out your cake thief.
    We have a ‘Birthday Cake Club’ at work. You can opt in so the person with a birthday before you brings you in a cake, and then you get the cake for the person with the next birthday. It’s a nice tradition and good for our morale. (But not our waistlines!)

    • cameldownunder on 18/11/2019 - 15:37

      Discounted Woolies cake. Nice !

  • DASH8 on 17/11/2019 - 22:21
    +12

    Laxative cake next time.

    • Bargain80 on 18/11/2019 - 10:07
      +3

      yep. classic one will stop it.

  • brendanm on 17/11/2019 - 22:31

    Bring another cake, but make it horrible, as above could lace it with laxatives or just something that tastes foul. You will soon find out who the cake thief is. Your workplace should get you a birthday cake anyway

  • vikvance on 17/11/2019 - 23:11
    +5

    Buy a 15c Woolies bag & next time, wrap the cake in the bag.

    If you wrap things up in some type of bag, then generally people won't touch them.

    An unwrapped item makes it harder for people to resist their urges.

  • Fysh on 17/11/2019 - 23:22
    +1

    Carolina reaper jam , black forest cake.

  • steven6 on 17/11/2019 - 23:24
    +20

    Hide a condom and a piece of paper in the cream section of the cake and write on it "this isn't cream"

  • follow on 17/11/2019 - 23:27

    https://youtu.be/hd_U9HolRxU

  • endotherm on 18/11/2019 - 01:19

    I was going to suggest wrapping everything in an anti-theft sealed bag such as this or this.

  • [Deactivated] on 18/11/2019 - 05:55
    +3

    Start making wasabi cheesecake and see who has a burning sensation, but make sure you name it Macha cheesecake so the hoe into iit before realising the burn.

    • Loopholio on 18/11/2019 - 10:33
      +1

      Wasabi cheese cake sounds pretty good to me. Where is your work fridge?

      Asking for a friend

      • [Deactivated] on 19/11/2019 - 07:34

        i mean 4 or 5 tubes in it, the hot stuff that burns nasal hairs off not the coloured horseradish. not fun stuff to get a mouth-full of.
        but i can also make you one to try, i just wont give you the sick day to take off work.

    • Yummy on 18/11/2019 - 23:11

      Oh yum. Like to try that.

      Had a wasabi vanilla ice cream while in os. Wickedly beautiful combo.

      • [Deactivated] on 19/11/2019 - 07:35

        not talking about some token amount for flavour, talking about 4-5 tubes of the real hot stuff. you will be on the can the next day wishing you never heard about wasabi.

  • Hardlyworkin on 18/11/2019 - 07:33

    Make a game of it and have some fun. Set a trap. Lace some food with laxatives or chillies.

  • Lastchancetosee on 18/11/2019 - 07:33
    +1

    I like baking, and often bring in something home-made for birthdays. I can't imagine anyone there stealing it. I'd put a 'watch out, there's a thief about' sign on the fridge from now on. Next time, I'd show the cake around in the morning and ask everyone to help keep an eye on it until morning tea. You could also duct tape the fridge shut 😊.

  • elgrande on 18/11/2019 - 07:58
    +1

    Hidden camera.. cake cam!

  • subydooby on 18/11/2019 - 08:03
    +6

    Put your cake in a soft sided esky with some ice bricks and it should keep until afternoon tea.

  • cfuse on 18/11/2019 - 08:07
    +7

    I worked with a guy that bought a cash box to use as a lunchbox and put that in the fridge.

    • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 18/11/2019 - 11:01

      Similar at an old workplace. Had an coworker who crafted a padlocked large tupperware container as people kept stealing her chocolates.

    • DiscoJango on 18/11/2019 - 19:37
      +1

      That is genuinely amazing. please congratulate this bloke next you see him.

  • Ugly on 18/11/2019 - 08:24
    +4

    https://lockabox.com/

  • happirt on 18/11/2019 - 09:33

    traditions like this don't exist for a purpose.

  • Zondor on 18/11/2019 - 09:58
    +6

    Ozbargin forums are basically just Reddit now.

    • jrjr on 18/11/2019 - 15:17
      +6

      That refund thread is a classic

      • Andard on 19/11/2019 - 13:46

        First time reading it - (profanity) hilarious. Only on OzB 😂

      • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 19/11/2019 - 15:27

        Haha, i forgot all about that refund thread. Good readin'

        I love how they are so close to trolling you honestly can't work out if they are or not. It's brilliant.

  • Phreakuency on 18/11/2019 - 10:12
    +4

    I think the sad thing is there are people that honestly live day to day, blowing their wages on God knows what, that they have to steal to eat.

    I work in an office of 40 odd and we get paid very well. Ive had frozen meals, my labelled lunch box of salads and vegetables, my bottles of drink and even my labelled dietary milk I bring in, all stolen.
    It's horrible.

  • Orpheon on 18/11/2019 - 10:14
    +20

    Lawful Good: Leave notes in meal offering to help culprit with food to address their pettiness and the root cause of stealing.

    Neutral Good: Altruistic Consequentialism - Put on a note on the fridge addressed to culprit, warning them of the repercussions of their actions.

    Chaotic Good: You have earned your meal and it was taken from you, so you will take back what you are owed.

    Lawful Neutral: OHAS and HR Regulations prevent you from seeking justice.

    True Neutral: You honestly couldn't care less, this does not affect in the grand scheme of things. Don't leave personally baked cake in public fridge in the future.

    Chaotic Neutral: Flip a coin - Heads, you lace your next cake with laxatives. Tails, you ignore it completely.

    Lawful Evil: Justice - dye a new cake with unwashable blue organic dye color (non-toxic), put up notices around office informing them of food thief. Humiliate culprit once they are outed and cannot wash out color dye from mouth.

    Neutral Evil: Retribution - Lace new cake with Essence of Ipecac. Will make culprit suffer for their ongoing crimes and will be outed immediately.

    Chaotic Evil: Do what comes natural - shredded pins you say?

    • UFO on 18/11/2019 - 14:22

      Good drills.

  • brad1-8tsi on 18/11/2019 - 10:26
    +5

    How many people in the office?

    We have ~500 over 3 floors/3 kitchens/5 fridges and it's only happened once and the "victim" sent out a passive/aggressive, all-staff email saying how it had ruined their day and she was so upset she had to go home (I think she just wanted an excuse to leave). It was hilariously funny yet quite sad at the same time.

    • [Deactivated] on 18/11/2019 - 15:50
      +1

      I was so hungover from all the free drinks traumatised by the incident that I couldn't go to work the next day 😉

    • bobbified on 18/11/2019 - 23:43

      This exact same thing happened at a place I worked. Someone had taken someone else's slice of pizza from the fridge. Management eventually got involved and ordered everyone to stop because the group email to everyone costs the company about $20 for each reply-all! lol

  • superdarkhumour on 18/11/2019 - 10:28
    -3

    Just be lucky they didn't take your wife as well =)

    • kolorijo on 18/11/2019 - 11:25
      +3

      username checks out

  • Cheap Steve on 18/11/2019 - 10:40
    +2

    Am I the only one that thinks this is a pretty funny office joke?

    I would be suspecting my closest friends.

    • WT on 18/11/2019 - 12:25
      +1

      you would think that at the end of the day they would have brought the cake out.

      Me, I would have brought it out but after everyone ate some of the mudcake

  • TerryJustTerry on 18/11/2019 - 10:44
    +1

    That really sucks dude, sorry to hear that it happened.

    In regards to what steps you can take to avoid it in the future, best bet is to avoid it imo but in terms of practical steps you can take perhaps bringing it in another box ( so as to not distinguish it from other lunches ) or to bring it in a more sealed box perhaps.

  • John on 18/11/2019 - 10:51
    +4

    How do I prevent this from happening again?

    Don't bring a cake

  • Bid Sniper on 18/11/2019 - 10:59
    +3

    you need to become the alpha so you eat first

  • TheGiantTomato on 18/11/2019 - 11:02

    Next time, label your cake as "vegan cake" - just the word 'vegan' will scare most people off (even though actual vegan cake tastes exactly the same as normal cake).

    • lysp on 18/11/2019 - 15:12

      Depends on the work place.

      That'd generally scare everyone off, or entice everyone to try it.

      Not so much in the middle.

    • crentist on 18/11/2019 - 21:05

      ex manager was vegan, sometimes she'd make cake/cupcakes for the office.
      shit was delicious

  • 91rs on 18/11/2019 - 11:04
    +1

    Fear mostly, that seems to keep people away from the very few things I'd leave in a fridge (drinks, never food).
    Ban birthdays and any other celebration where people have to awkwardly stand around while someone mumbles something before lining up like you're in some eastern block country for a handout of bread (or cake or whatever).
    Almost 10 years now and no one has worked out I don't ever have a birthday or have had a cake.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meZSliad2qs

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 18/11/2019 - 11:08
    +4

    You need to find out who did it.

    We had a culprit who kept stealing food and drinks from a fridge shared with 30+ people. Final straw was when I had a 6 pack of beer stolen that I had stupidly placed in there to keep cold as I was only going a 10 minute walk away after work.

    Long story short I used "methods" to track them down. They weren't apologetic so I reported it. They got sacked the next morning. Apparently they'd been caught before yet had been given the benefit of the doubt when other things kept going missing. Apparently they had also used a company phone to call a sex chat line. Good riddance.

    OP, the other scenario is you may discover that EVERYBODY stole your cake. Everybody was in on it. Everybody ate some because they don't like you and thought it would be hilarious. Hopefully it's not that :(

  • backpaqer on 18/11/2019 - 11:18

    Sign "please do not touch, daughters biological experiment for uni"

    • [Deactivated] on 18/11/2019 - 19:25

      Wouldn't be a deterrent. About 25% of my colleagues have a degree in biology and/or biochemistry.

  • cynicalmike on 18/11/2019 - 11:30
    +9

    Edit : The cake thief contacted me today with a heartfelt apology and offered to shout me lunch and/or drinks. All good :)

    confirmed. the thief lives on ozbargain among us

    • [Deactivated] on 18/11/2019 - 11:38
      +1

      He denied it and attributed his decision to come clean on a guilty conscience that was keeping him up at night.

      • railspider on 18/11/2019 - 11:42
        +3

        Did they explain why (and how) they stole and ate an entire cake?

        It's almost impressive.

        • [Deactivated] on 18/11/2019 - 13:07
          +2

          The missus had him on a no-sugar/low carb diet for 6 days. He couldn't resist the temptation when he saw the cake.

          Not HR. A contractor.

          • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 18/11/2019 - 18:26
            +3

            @[Deactivated]: Keep in mind you are likely outed now. Nuke your account from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

            • [Deactivated] on 18/11/2019 - 22:26
              +1

              @Typical16-bitEnjoyer: The fight club rules apply to my workplace🤐

              I highly doubt he knows my ozb alter ego. I believe someone would have approached him and suggested he made amends, in case I choose to push for a formal investigation. A formal investigation
              would have resulted in formal sanctions which would have affected his security clearance level.

            • Makaveli99 on 18/11/2019 - 23:26

              @Typical16-bitEnjoyer: Lols, thank u. Now this is funny comment.
              As opposite to ozbargain troll humour which some people find funny

          • crentist on 18/11/2019 - 21:44
            +3

            @[Deactivated]: He stole and ate an entire cake after being put on a diet by his wife, and all you're getting is a measly lunch?
            Dude's getting off way too easy. As well as simply being owed more, you have some prime blackmail material here. You could probably get him to suck you off.

            At least get two lunches.
            And another cake to apologize for that insulting (and delicious) $2.50 mud cake.

            • abb on 20/11/2019 - 16:10
              +1

              @crentist: The $2.50 replacement cake is clear indication of premeditated malicious intent.

              If a complaint would cost this guy his job, you need way more than a Woolies mark-down dinner to make up for it.

              A voucher for you and your family to the nicest restaurant in town, plus a bottle of scotch/wine/whatever would be the minimum I think.

            • [Deactivated] on 20/11/2019 - 20:20

              @crentist:

              You could probably get him to suck you off.

              Yeah…but nah, thanks.
              I got him to buy me seafood instead . A few of my colleagues came down to help me finish it off cos poor mate was back on his diet. I paid for drinks:)

      • cynicalmike on 18/11/2019 - 11:51

        maybe it was the insulin spike that was keeping them up at night, either way i think you have developed a sudden taste for lobster and/or fine scotch, haven't you? :)

      • tryagain on 18/11/2019 - 12:44

        "He" so it wasn't the HR manager then?

      • cameldownunder on 18/11/2019 - 15:47

        Happy end then ?

  • crashloaded on 18/11/2019 - 11:54

    Put a urinal cake in the fridge with your name on it.

  • TheRealCher on 18/11/2019 - 11:55
    +1

    A knife, some fava beans and chianti

    • UFO on 18/11/2019 - 14:27

      I hope its a nice bottle of chianti?

      • TheRealCher on 18/11/2019 - 16:38

        On my salary, I'm lucky it's a bottle….

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 18/11/2019 - 12:52
    -2

    PSA

    Everyone - poisoning or placing nefarious items in your food to bait a thief can see you get into a LOT of shit. It doesn't matter if they stole it. Be careful.

    Just use wasabi and reaper chillis in huge proportions. Then you have a defence!

    • UFO on 18/11/2019 - 14:29
      -1

      A shitload of laxatives (pun very much intended) would be fine.
      They would get a lot of shit, you would get a lot of pleasure. The perfect solution.

      • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 18/11/2019 - 18:28
        -2

        Except if the thief has kidney or heart disease. Then you're potentially explaining why laxatives were in your food to HR, police or a Court.

        Chilli is better. You can defend that.

        • UFO on 18/11/2019 - 22:18
          +1

          "And my hard stools and are my business" is what I'd tell anyone asking.

          Come on mate :). If someone is stealing my food (which they technically are) THEY are the criminal not me. There isn't a DPP in any state of Australia that would attempt to prosecute me for putting laxatives in my own food. Maybe I hate the taste of the laxative and put it in cake for taste? Maybe I have blown an O-ring and I need something really soft to pass because of pain? I can think of stacks of 'reasonable' excuses as to my actions. I wonder if the thief could do the same?

          • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 19/11/2019 - 08:46
            -1

            @UFO: Except your opinion is just that. An opinion. The law states otherwise in VIC and NSW.

            If you intentionally poison your food, in such a way you would never eat it yourself, and leave it in a communal place, where accidents happen and someone might accidentally eat it or otherwise, it could be considered a trap and then you expose yourself to serious shit if someone falls very ill.

            Good luck arguing successfully why you placed faeces, 20x the regular dose of laxatives or draino in your sandwich!

            • UFO on 19/11/2019 - 12:59
              -1

              @Typical16-bitEnjoyer: Feaces? Draino? 20x Laxatives??

              Wow… that's a long bow you've drawn- and completely unrelated to what I was talking about.
              An acceptable dose of laxatives is what I was talking about. Not poisoning a person with an overdose!

              I want them to have the shits, not overdose and require hospital treatment and/or die!

              That's a massive extreme mate.

              • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 19/11/2019 - 13:36

                @UFO:

                Wow… that's a long bow you've drawn- and completely unrelated to what I was talking about.

                I don't care what you're talking about. I'm referring back to my original post - which you happen to be replying to.

                Keep your opinion. You're entitled to have it.

                Love to see you explain an "acceptable" amount of laxatives in a planted sandwich in a communal fridge. Good luck to you sir/madam.

                • UFO on 19/11/2019 - 13:38

                  @Typical16-bitEnjoyer: Rightio then… enjoy your sandwiches and cake then :).

                  I hope your "Reaper chillies in huge proportions" doesn't hurt (which of course you are going to eat right?).

    • lysp on 18/11/2019 - 15:16
      +1

      Everyone - poisoning or placing nefarious items in your food to bait a thief can see you get into a LOT of shit. It doesn't matter if they stole it. Be careful.

      I seem to remember a story online where lunches kept going missing.

      So the person placed super-super-hot chilli in them one day and clearly labelled the sandwich "bob's sandwich".

      Obviously the person who ate it was found it.

      The person didn't get in trouble for "poisoning" it because the hot chilli and the clear label gave plausible deniability. "I like hot things"

  • trapper on 18/11/2019 - 12:59
    +1

    The fun and obvious option is a simple sting operation, set a trap and bust the thief.

    The more evil option is to leave a nasty surprise like a dog shit laced cake for the thief to enjoy, you could get yourself in trouble with this one thou.

  • pyramid on 18/11/2019 - 13:06

    bouncers?

  • OzHunterNSW on 18/11/2019 - 13:17
    -1

    Just leave it at home. Why are you taking enticements to work. You only have yourself to blame.

  • macrocephalic on 18/11/2019 - 13:19
    +6

    I find it's best to not work in a shitty workplace with people who can't be trusted not to steal your things.

  • Name on 18/11/2019 - 14:11

    Thanks for the update (responsible party shouting you lunch) but did you find out why they ate it? Did they eat it all or was it shared?

    • [Deactivated] on 18/11/2019 - 16:19

      His girlfriend had him on "Jlo's no sugar, no carb diet" . He caved in when he saw the cakes.

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