Personal theft
Are you worried your child is stealing?
If you're concerned that your child may be involved in stealing it's important you do something to stop it.
Maybe you've seen or heard them doing something aggressive to someone else, or someone's told you they're involved in something they shouldn't be. Perhaps they always seem to have the latest trainers or new gadgets - and you can't work out how they could have afforded them.
Is it bullying?
No one wants to think their child is involved in bullying, but certain types of stealing, especially from people they know, may be a sign that they are. If you think that might be the case, take a look at our section about bullying. Either get the facts about bullying or for more info on how you can actually help them visit ‘Has your child been bullying someone?’
What to do about it
Talk to your child
Talk to your son or daughter about your concerns. It's better to tackle it now, or it could get out of hand and your child might find themselves excluded from school, or get a criminal record if the police become involved.
Talk to someone else
The last thing you probably want to do is report it officially but it is an option if things get really bad.
It's better that they get into trouble now than it get worse, otherwise they could find themselves getting into more trouble later on:
- Speak to their teacher or Safer Schools Officer
- Go to your nearest police station or local Safer Neighbourhoods Team - if it's an emergency call 999.
- If you feel unable to talk to the police, you could call the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.
- Or for more information visit the ‘Reporting crime’ section on the Metropolitan Police website or the ‘How to contact us’ page on this site.
There are also websites and organisations that can help you. Take a look at the Parentline Plus site or Be Someone to Tell.
Getting more help
For more information about personal theft visit our ‘Get the facts’ or ‘More help and advice’ pages.