Imagine the shock that coursed through the man’s veins when he discovered that one of his most cherished belongings had vanished from within the walls of his humble home. Determined to uncover the truth, he meticulously reviewed the footage captured by his concealed surveillance system, and what he witnessed left him utterly perplexed. He attempted to remain composed, but eventually decided to take matters into his own hands.
The man mentioned that his 9-year-old nephew had a tendency to take things without permission. He would often select items from shops, resulting in his parents having to apologize to the shop owners. Worried about the safety of his engagement ring, he decided to conceal it in a spot he believed his nephew wouldn’t be able to access. Unfortunately, his plan was unsuccessful, resulting in the disappearance of his ring.
A Redditor shared his experience on the «AITA» subreddit, recounting the events that unfolded after viewing the secret camera recording. He had set up an inexpensive surveillance camera in his room to monitor his nephew.
Despite being aware of their son’s shoplifting, the man’s brother and his brother’s wife chose not to take any action. They always thought their son forgot to give the things back.
One day, the school principal reached out to the man’s brother to discuss his child’s tendency to steal. The man was filled with embarrassment, yet he failed to impart the important lesson of not stealing to his son.
The OP believed that it was important for his brother to have a conversation with his son about the importance of not stealing. However, he had always kept his distance from his nephew’s life, until the engagement ring went missing under mysterious circumstances.
OP shared that his brother had recently moved in with his family due to losing his job and being unable to afford rent. As he scoured the job market, he managed to make ends meet by working as a taxi driver.
OP didn’t mind his brother’s family living with him since he knew they would be moving out soon. However, his world was turned upside down when he laid eyes on the empty ring box in his room. He had just purchased a stunning engagement ring for his girlfriend.
He had set aside $4,000 to purchase it as a gesture of love for his girlfriend. Knowing that his nephew had a tendency to take things without permission, he decided to conceal the ring by placing it in a box beneath his drawer. After an incident involving his nephew and a missing wristwatch, he became determined to be more vigilant.
He purchased an affordable spy camera and discreetly positioned it in his room, strategically aimed towards the drawer. He was determined to safeguard his treasured ring no matter what. One day, he noticed that the ring box was empty and decided to review the camera footage on his laptop.
It came as no surprise when his nephew was caught rummaging through his drawers. He was furious. He stormed into his brother’s room and demanded that his nephew give back the ring.
He informed his brother about the camera footage and firmly requested the return of his ring. His brother and sister-in-law raised their voices at the child and demanded that he give back the ring. According to the boy, he claimed to have left it in the guest room. However, upon inspection, it was nowhere to be found.
“I know for a fact he’s lying about not having it because that’s the same thing he said about one of my watches he took then ended up finding it,” the man stated. The following day, his brother informed him that they were unable to locate the ring.
He offered an apology, but OP stood firm in his request for the ring to be returned. Otherwise, he made it clear that his brother would need to pay him $4,000 in order to purchase a replacement. In a stern warning, he made it clear to his brother that failure to repay him within a week would result in their family being kicked out from the house.
Due to his unemployment, the man found himself unable to repay the debt, which ultimately led to him being forced to move to a motel within a week. Despite his persistent pleas, OP remained steadfast in his decision to deny his return. OP shared his story on Reddit, seeking the perspective of other users after his brother accused him of being heartless. Redditors offered reassurance to OP, affirming that he was not to blame for asking them to leave.
«I can empathize with the intense frustration of losing an item that you worked so hard to save up for, especially when the person responsible is unwilling to reveal its whereabouts,» the user expressed, while another individual commented, «You’re definitely not in the wrong — it seems like they sold the ring.»
Shortly after, the man penned another Reddit post to provide an update to his readers. «Yes, I found the ring!» he exclaimed with joy. He mentioned that in response to comments suggesting possible hiding spots for the ring, he decided to check the sink in the guest room bathroom.
He noticed his beloved ring resting in the sink. However, he still had to remove the trap to reach the ring. After a bit of a wait, he managed to acquire the ring. Before something else happened to the ring, he asked his girlfriend to marry him that night. She was absolutely thrilled with the ring and happily accepted the proposal.
In the meantime, he made sure to let his brother know that he had come across the ring. Despite his brother’s assumption, OP declined the offer to move back in with him. He also had a conversation with his nephew, questioning why he had kept the ring’s location a secret from everyone.
The boy said he was afraid they would be mad at him for hiding the ring in the sink. Even though OP was upset, he chose not to think about it too much and let his brother handle it.
«It’s clear that the child’s refusal to disclose the location and the parents’ unwillingness to intervene indicate that you are completely justified and it would be unwise to allow them back,» expressed a Redditor. Many commenters expressed their concern about the OP’s brother’s son’s stealing habit, urging him to take action before it becomes a bigger problem.
