Man's ingenious plan to get back at 'lunch thief' in office has the internet in stitches

Workplace challenges are inevitable, but sometimes they require a dash of creativity to navigate. For Reddit user u/WildBillyredneck, the problem wasn’t a tough boss or a noisy coworker—it was a relentless lunch thief. Sharing their story online, they recounted how they turned the tables on their sticky-fingered colleague in a way that had people applauding their ingenuity.

This wasn’t just an occasional inconvenience; the lunch theft happened repeatedly over weeks, and HR’s lack of action left the worker frustrated and hungry. “I was seething. Not a thing was being done, and I still had to go buy something to eat,” they wrote. After reporting the issue numerous times to no avail, the employee decided to take matters into their own hands.

The solution came from an unexpected source: their doctor. While venting during a visit, the doctor jokingly asked if the employee was constipated and then prescribed a potent laxative. That’s when inspiration struck. “Mix it in with your meal for maximum effect,” the doctor quipped. The idea planted a seed for a harmless but highly effective plan to catch the thief red-handed—well, maybe more like red-faced.

What followed was a perfect mix of justice and hilarity, leaving readers both amused and impressed by the creative revenge. Sometimes, the best way to deal with workplace antics is to think outside the (lunch) box.

Following his doctor’s advice, the man mixed the laxatives into his lunch, hoping the thief would strike again. "About an hour after lunch, I went to HR and reported two things - one, my lunch was stolen again and two, my medication was stolen," he explained. When his HR inquired if his medicine was also present in the lunch bag that was stolen, the employee replied, "Yes. I have had some digestive problems and my doctor prescribed a powerful laxative and advised me to mix it in with my mid-day meal." In utter shock, the HR asked, "You what?" and the employee with a polite smile replied, "I mixed in a prescription grade laxative with my food per doctor's orders."

Since he was simply following his doctor’s orders, HR had no choice but to call the police, as stealing prescribed medicine is a criminal offense. The culprit turned out to be a lead employee from another department. Even after being caught, the thief tried to accuse the worker of "poisoning" the food. The employee calmly replied, "At which point did you get the idea that food was for you? Furthermore, now I no longer have the medication I was prescribed for my condition.'" Realizing that he had consumed a prescribed laxative, the lunch thief was speechless and went on to be accused. "I can make and eat my hoagies and I have no clue where the lunch thief went after his fines and community service," the worker added.

The internet found the whole story hilarious, with many praising the doctor’s clever idea. "I love how people who steal food are treated like a nuisance rather than the piece of s**t they are. It's no different than stealing money from someone's wallet," said u/Low_Cold9888. "I really don’t get why anyone would steal anyone else’s lunch except out of desperation. Likes it’s so rude and disrespectful to steal someone’s food," remarked a Reddit user. "Your doctor is the GOAT. Life hack to avoid accusations of poisoning!" added u/SeleneM19.

This article originally appeared 3 months ago.