ARGH! Lying little neighborhood twerps.

[Erica in PA]

About a month ago, my dh bought my boys their first "real" football. It was nothing that special, just a brown football he bought at Walmart. But money is tight, and it was a splurge. The kids loved it though.

Well, that thing is apparently the hit of our apartment complex, because for the second time in just one month, it has been STOLEN!! It's only been two days since we finally got it back from the first boy who stole it. That boy at first said that he took it in for us to keep it safe, then lied to us about having taken it to his "uncle's house". After a couple weeks of asking and asking him about it, I grew suspicious and went to explain things to his mother, who finally got him to give us the ball back (it now has "GABE" written on it in big letters-- seems Gabe was planning on keeping it!).

So, we finally got it back, and two days later the boys took it outside, they put it down for just a minute, and it was gone again. After some neighborhood sleuthing, we found out who took it. I went straight to the boy today (I hated having to ask him for the football that has "GABE" written on it!), and he lied right to my face!! I knew he was lying because he was contradicting himself left and right; it was extremely frustrating, but there was nothing more I could do.

So, now the football is gone again, and since I am pretty sure this boy's parents don't speak English and wouldn't understand the situation if I even tried to explain it, I think our football's gone for good this time. And we have no money now to replace it.

Lying and stealing really stink. No wonder God made them against the rules.:thumbdown:

Erica

[Ashleen]

When my kids get a ball, I write our last name in huge letters in permanent marker on the ball. I told them it's because I didn't want them to get confused and bring the wrong ball home when they play outside, but it's really so other kids don't do things like that.

[jail warden]

That stinks! I'm sorry.:grouphug:

Maybe he thinks his name is Gabe too?!:glare:

[Erica in PA]

That stinks! I'm sorry.:grouphug:

Maybe he thinks his name is Gabe too?!:glare:

LOL, yeah. Maybe the football will say Gabe and Daniel when we next see it. (Neither of which are my dc's names, of course.)

And I love your avatar. It's so fitting for this situation! lol

Erica

[elegantlion]

That just bites! I'm sorry to hear it. I hope that little boy is convicted (as in spiritual conviction) to do the right thing.

[Remudamom]

How frustrating.

[MenifeeMom]

That happens a lot around my house too. It has gotten to the point where my kids don't want to take their things out front anymore, which of course defeats the purpose of having many of their toys!!! I hope you guys manage to get your ball back.

[Colleen]

I'm sorry, Erica; I can imagine how frustrating that must be. I wouldn't let the matter rest, though. Among other things, I'd go out of my way on a daily basis to ask the boy (is it Daniel?) for the ball. I'd just keep "reminding" him: "Hey, Daniel. Don't forget to get that football back to us if you come across it." and "Say, Daniel...didja happen to see that football of ours?" He may either be convicted to return it or just flat-out get sick of having you ask about it.

I'd also try to take it up with his parents, if indeed you feel very sure that he has the ball. What language do they speak? Find someone ~ or just go online ~ to translate a few basic sentences from English into their native language. Something like, "Hello!:) My boys like your son. They like playing together. But your son borrowed our football and we need it back now."

You never know. Pushing a bit may bring about a happy ending to the story.

[Chris in VA]

My boy's bike was stolen when we lived at an apartment complex. He never did learn how to ride one. Burned me up. I can sympathize.
Do you want your kids to continue playing with this little lying thieves? Might be interested if they come knocking on the door and hear, "Oh no, Johnny can't play with you until you return his ball." Of course, at our complex, the kids were just out in a common area and started playing--no knocking involved.

[lynn]

About a month ago, my dh bought my boys their first "real" football. It was nothing that special, just a brown football he bought at Walmart. But money is tight, and it was a splurge. The kids loved it though.

Well, that thing is apparently the hit of our apartment complex, because for the second time in just one month, it has been STOLEN!! It's only been two days since we finally got it back from the first boy who stole it. That boy at first said that he took it in for us to keep it safe, then lied to us about having taken it to his "uncle's house". After a couple weeks of asking and asking him about it, I grew suspicious and went to explain things to his mother, who finally got him to give us the ball back (it now has "GABE" written on it in big letters-- seems Gabe was planning on keeping it!).

So, we finally got it back, and two days later the boys took it outside, they put it down for just a minute, and it was gone again. After some neighborhood sleuthing, we found out who took it. I went straight to the boy today (I hated having to ask him for the football that has "GABE" written on it!), and he lied right to my face!! I knew he was lying because he was contradicting himself left and right; it was extremely frustrating, but there was nothing more I could do.

So, now the football is gone again, and since I am pretty sure this boy's parents don't speak English and wouldn't understand the situation if I even tried to explain it, I think our football's gone for good this time. And we have no money now to replace it.

Lying and stealing really stink. No wonder God made them against the rules.:thumbdown:

Erica

Find a friendly cop that speaks the boys parents language and have him pay a visit to the family. Your kids will get the football back and the other kids in your complex will think twice before stealing anything else. I agree with the other poster write your last name and apartment number on the football so it can be returned when found. I write our last name and street address on our balls for this very reason.

[Erica in PA]

AARGH, I give up. I just went up the street to go talk to Daniel's parents about the football, and on the way I ran into the group of kids I talked to the other night, who had told me that they saw him take it. I stopped to talk to them, to see if I could get any more information about that night. Weeelllll, now apparently they aren't so sure they really saw that. There were a lot of exchanged glances and sheepish looks going around, which made me lose all confidence in their word. Now I'm not so sure that one of them, or the whole lot, might not actually know where the football is, or be keeping it somewhere themselves.:banghead: So of course I don't feel comfortable asking anyone else's parents about it now.

My last resort is to put up a sign at the playground mentioning the "lost" football, just in case. I have a feeling it will be ripped down and torn apart in a matter of minutes, but at least if I do that I can feel that I've done all I can to try to get it back.

Erica

[Mom to Aly]

My daughter had some toys stolen from a park last year, and I am a single mom with absolutely no money to replace or buy a lot of toys. I thought I knew who did it, and asked if she'd like to go talk to the little girl, but she replied she would not. When I asked why, she told me that if the little girl took them, she felt it was because she had less than us, and probably needed them more than we did (which is sort of how I feel about it--not for everything, but sometimes, especially with kids). It made me very proud of my daughter, in any case.

Maybe that is the case with this boy?

[Chris in VA]

That's a sweet and gracious thought, MtoAly

[MelissaM]

Maybe you can catch the weasels playing with it. I also agree with Colleen about asking it and their parents about it on a regular basis.