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1. prezet - Member

   So, just after some opinion here...

   My brother went away for the weekend, and asked our niece and her boyfriend to come house sit to look after the cat. They kindly agreed as they live at home with their parents and wanted some space.

   Now, without sounding prejudice - the boyfriend is a lazy sod, hasn't held down a job for longer than a week, spends all day smoking 'da weed and playing PS3. We've lent him money before to pay off police fines when he gets pulled for possession etc. And we only do that so the niece doesn't have to find the money out of her small salary she earns from working all hours at a local petrol station.

   So - they stay over the weekend, and apparently boyfriend has one of his mates over (he hangs out with some dodgy chavs). Although initially denying they had anyone over, a neighbour told my brother he'd seen a couple of 'shifty' lads around the house.

   When my brother gets home at 1.30pm he finds the backdoor wide open, with the keys in the OUTSIDE, and the only thing taken from the house was £60 he kept in his cupboard in his bedroom - despite leaving his laptop, iPod and PS3 around the house (none of these were touched). According to my brother only he knew that money was there - and you'd have to be fairly specific to come in the house and go straight to the bedroom to find it. Again, nothing else was touched - no drawers pulled out etc.

   So, my niece and her bf say they left the house at 12.30pm - and it must have been an opportunist who let himself in and took the money, which leaves a few questions - how did the opportunist get the keys? how did he know where the money was? why did he take nothing else?

   My brother and I both suspect the bf - he would of had ample opportunity to go through my brothers stuff, discover the money and potentially give the keys to his mate to come in after they left to go grab it.

   Is it me, or does this all sound too shifty to be an 'opportunist'?

   Posted 7 months ago #
2. gravitysucks - Member

   the simpilest explanation is usually the correct one

   Posted 7 months ago #
3. pistonbroke - Member

   Your mistake is contained in the first sentence. Cheaper to put the cat in a cattery.

   Posted 7 months ago #
4. retro83 - Member

   Hang, draw and quarter him!

   Posted 7 months ago #
5. tails - Member

   Wash your hands of them until your niece sorts herself a nice fella.

   Posted 7 months ago #
6. BoardinBob - Member

   You and your brother
   Boyfriend
   Pair of pliers and a blowtorch
   Confession will be forthcoming

   Posted 7 months ago #
7. prezet - Member

   Your mistake is contained in the first sentence. Cheaper to put the cat in a cattery.

   Yeah - but the cat is quite old now and frail. He hardly moves - plus we think we're helping out our niece by giving her a place away from her folks for a week - she's now 23 and can't afford to rent with a bf who sucks all the money out of her.

   For the record - we've never had any of the money back we've lent him for his fines. It's always another excuse why he doesn't have it. Odd how he always has a spare quarter in his pocket for 'emergency' weed.

   Posted 7 months ago #
8. prezet - Member

   
   You and your brother
   Boyfriend
   Pair of pliers and a blowtorch
   Confession will be forthcoming
   

   Trust me - we're considering it. We just don't want to upset our niece. She's a lovely girl - heart of gold. He's just an absolute waste of space.

   Not quite sure how to handle the whole thing.

   Posted 7 months ago #
9. toys19 - Member

   I'm not saying forgive and forget, but it is only £60. I fully believe in being the change you want to see. So, I would go and find the scrote and give him another £60 and say "there you go son if I know you are short of money I will always help you out". Brother doesn't don't need to say any more scrote will know what a see.you.next.tuesday. brother thinks he is and he will be slightly wierded out and might think again. And Brother needs to not let him into the house until he shows some kind of major change.

   Posted 7 months ago #
10. prezet - Member

    True - the problem is, they were due to come and dog/house sit for me next week while I'm away to visit relatives abroad.

    Now I don't really want them anywhere near the house - in the thought he could be going through our stuff too.

    Posted 7 months ago #
11. toys19 - Member

    Well I wouldn't let him near my house either.

    Posted 7 months ago #
12. hora - Member

    Its a cheap lesson.

    When my Mum was in hospital years ago my Cousin came to stop over and look after me. She had a huge house party.

    Posted 7 months ago #
13. prezet - Member

    £60 is still £60 - and my brother doesn't have much spare as it is. He'd saved that up for months going towards christmas for his kids.

    Might be cheap to some people - but stealing is stealing.

    Posted 7 months ago #
14. gravitysucks - Member

    All seems a bit bizare. What happened to the keys they had to the property? where these the ones left in the door?

    I would just put in down to experience and not trust them in the future.

    And stop giving handouts to the waster! Not exactly teaching him anything if he's bailed out all the time by you guys. How much are these fines by the way if money is so tight?

    Posted 7 months ago #
15. hora - Member

    Agree. You are reinforcing bad behaviour. You wouldn't reward a monkey for hitting another with a banana. Yes, we all smoked as kids- you start growing out of it or at least you are functioning/responsible with it if you continue.

    Plus, the times he isn't caught- what exactly is he upto?

    Posted 7 months ago #
16. phil.w - Member

    You wouldn't reward a monkey for hitting another with a banana.

    I don't know, I would if it pulled in a few million YouTube hits.

    Posted 7 months ago #
17. D0NK - Member

    edit, read post properly before giving sarky replies.

    Posted 7 months ago #
18. prezet - Member

    All seems a bit bizare. What happened to the keys they had to the property? where these the ones left in the door?

    
    This was the back door key, they left via the front door and posted that key back through the letterbox.

    I agree by giving him money to pay the fines is less than ideal. It's me and my gf who've been bailing him out - if we don't, my poor niece will have to pay out of her money. It's only been the one loan.

    we all smoked as kids- you start growing out of it or at least you are functioning/responsible with it if you continue.

    That's the thing - alot of my mates still smoke (mostly on weekends), but they hold down a normal life, have families etc.

    Posted 7 months ago #
19. avdave2 - Member

    Sounds like your brother invited a dodgy waste of space into his house and left for the weekend.

    He has bigger problems than losing £60.

    Posted 7 months ago #
20. Woody - Member

    Sounds to me like he nicked the £60 and 'forgot' to lock the back door, which may have absolutely nothing to do with the theft.

    I'm struggling to understand why your niece and your family have given money and roof space to this scumbag!!!

    Posted 7 months ago #
21. Junkyard - Member

    No way is that burgalary
    Only someone stupid would steal £60 from your house and then give that story or expect you to buy it. We all know he did ti even though none of can prove it ..he is using that against you IMHO. - still a scrote rwith standard she left verything else in place
    It is like the lies children tell because they think they can get away with it.
    He is still a child
    Leave him to wallow in the next mess he makes
    Whilst grown ups bale him out you enable him to be a waster asyou are his safety net.
    Speak to the niece say everything you have said here but explain that this is the end of you helping him but not helping her

    Shame for you all

    Posted 7 months ago #
22. muppetWrangler - Member

    Who would break into a house to get the keys then let themselves into the back door leave the keys in the door rob just £60 from a discreet location and leave the house otherwise untouched? proper opportunistic thieves would've taken any small valuable items like the laptop, PS3 basically anything that can be carried easily. Also they wouldn't have been tidy, closing all cupboards and drawers until they found the one with the money. If they'd gone around the house looking for money it would be a mess.

    Whoever took the money must've been given the keys, If they'd somehow fished the keys off of the doormat they would just let themselves in the front door not go around the back.

    Your brother got screwed over for his good deed, but relatively cheaply. Lesson learnt, don't invite them around anymore, change the lock, don't let them know when you'll be away and don't give them any more money. Your niece may be a lovely girl but it sounds like she's hooked up with a wrong'un and helping them out financially is doing her no favours, if he's poncing of her rather than you she might see sense a little quicker and dump the loser.

    Posted 7 months ago #
23. deluded - Member

    The money was most likely pocketed by either the boyfriend or the mate ... that much we can say with some credibility. Of course the niece can’t be ruled out. I note they BOTH denied anybody being invited over, before floating a moody story about an 'opportunist'! This undermines her honesty to a certain extent.

    There are numerous possibilities. Perhaps the mate gained possession of the backdoor keys at some point during his stay, (which may have been with or without the boyfriend’s knowledge/collusion), with the intent to turn the address over later that Sunday.

    Believing that the house was unoccupied he may have returned and attempted to enter via the rear door but didn’t penetrate far into the address, as he was unexpectedly disturbed by your returning brother. He managed to make good his escape without stealing anything or coming to your brothers attention.

    Believe it or not some burglars can have varying M.O’s - some will nick only cash and jewelry (stuff not instantly identifiable) where others will have kit like PS3’s etc. Some will conduct tidy searches, others will totally ransack rooms.

    Tell niece and matey that you want the £60 to materialize in the next day or two unless they and the as yet unknown mate will be getting nicked.

    Posted 7 months ago #
24. mt - Member

    Get it put down, it's cruel to keep it alive. The choice of which creature is yours.

    Posted 7 months ago #
25. deadlydarcy - Member

    I'm with deluded.

    Posted 7 months ago #
26. deluded - Member

    I'm with deluded.

    - best way to be.

    Reckon on everything and trust nobody. In fact I'd like the OP to account for his movements that weekend

    I'd have em all signing like canaries

    Posted 7 months ago #
27. scaredypants - Member

    So, I would go and find the scrote and give him another £60 and say "there you go son if I see you again near my house I'll spend the next £60 on somebody to smash your kneecaps

    "
    
    (would 60 quid cover that ??)

    Posted 7 months ago #
28. timc - Member

    your niece is a bad egg as well, open your eyes

    Posted 7 months ago #
29. Cougar - Member

    we think we're helping out our niece

    You aren't. By constantly baling her out, you're encouraging him and she's no incentive to do something about it.

    He knows full well that he can do as he pleases, she's stupid enough to let him get away with it because she 'loves' him. Next thing you know, she'll be up the duff and he'll be your nephew-in-law.

    Posted 7 months ago #
30. tron - Member

    Personally I'd treat it as a lesson, and make clear to your sister that she's going out with a waste of space.

    The fact that he's a waste of space will become apparent sooner or later, and it's probably better now than when he's racked up thousands on a joint named credit card or similar...

    Posted 7 months ago #
31. Ramsey Neil - Member

    Never seen a canary sign anything myself .

    I would have a word with both of them , something along the lines of look we all know you stole that £60 but we all know I can't prove it . I don't want anything more to do with either of you until I get it back .And even if I got it back I would still keep them at a very long arms length .

    Posted 7 months ago #
32. deluded - Member

    Pedant - you know what I mean 'singing'

    Posted 7 months ago #
33. stevewhyte - Member

    Sounds like your brother is a bit of a tube.Lesson learned and its only cost £60 no problem as long as he doesnt let it happen again.

    Posted 7 months ago #
34. fubar - Member

    I'd be getting the locks changed - next time it could be the PS3, laptop etc.

    Posted 7 months ago #

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