Found out husband is the one stealing shallots from neighborhood gardens
A Reddit user (30F) recently discovered her husband (31M) has been stealing shallots and onions from the neighborhood community garden—and even personal gardens—for the past three years. What started as amusing neighborhood drama involving passive-aggressive emails and speculation about the culprit turned serious when the community demanded law enforcement involvement.
When the user jokingly mentioned the situation to her husband, he confessed to being the thief, citing his disdain for their HOA and neighbors as motivation. Now, the user feels uncomfortable and unsure how to handle her husband’s behavior, which she sees as immature and concerning.
‘ Found out husband is the one stealing shallots from neighborhood gardens’
This has been going on for several years. I live in a small rural neighborhood with an HOA where the houses are spread apart but neighbors are expected to keep their houses and yards nice. As with most HOAs, some members can get a little carried away with the seriousness of it all. There will be passive aggressive emails about escaped dogs, shirtless runners, unsightly fencing, etc.
It really annoys my husband. I just laugh at it. Well, a few years ago the neighbors got together and made a community garden in the center lot. There were a lot of emails sent about this. A lot of drama. I don’t remember all of it but people would get upset if someone took up too much space with their plants, planted something unsightly, etc.
So then we start getting emails complaining that someone was picking all the shallots/onions out of the garden. Some people thought it could be deer eating them. There were several theories. The next year the same thing happened and then people were also complaining that the onions/shallots were going missing from their personal gardens.
This year it started happening again and people flipped out. All caps emails, demands to interrogate teenage residents, requests to put security cameras in the communal garden. Two houses were hit and then people started staking out in their gardens and putting up game cameras
It started out being funny because I’m not involved with gardening so it was just amusing to read all the emails. But this year people are getting really upset and wanting to get law enforcement involved. So anyway, you already know what happens. I walk down to the bottom of our property that I don’t visit often and I find a lot of smashed onions and shallots.
Like absolutely smashed to bits it clearly took a lot of work I went inside and told my husband jokingly “I think we’re being framed for the onion heist!” He got this really weird look on his face and I had the realization and asked him if he didn’t have anything to do with this. He confessed to me that he did and had been stealing the onions and shallots to spite the neighbors.
He was sneaking out at night to do this. I asked him why and he said he just hates them so much. I don’t even know. This makes me really uncomfortable. The man is 31 and sneaking out at night to steal onions and I didn’t even notice? Why wouldn’t he just tell me? Like this has been going on for three years it’s not like he just did it once as a prank
I don’t know what to do. Can anyone help me think this through. Maybe I’m overreacting but I’m pretty upset
Here’s what people had to say to OP:
xsuperxvixenx − My favorite part, “The man is 31 and sneaking out at night to steal onions”…lol
RenaEufemia − Here’s what you do, you cover that evidence up ASAP! Your his wife and sorry, but you know where the onions are buried and you need to make sure there’s no evidence left. Hurry, if they are that pissed, they will eventually find out.
After that, you need to talk to him about how people now have cameras, and I bet you, there’s at least one person who hasn’t told anyone they put theirs up. He can get caught now. He needs to put his bad boy ways aside and cool it for a bit.
puppetpauperpirate − “I asked him why and he just said he hates them so much.”. Lmaoooo
DirtyBobMagoo − I really needed this. I had an absolutely s**t day, like mental breakdown bad, but this has me crying laughing. Tears running down my face. Everything. Oh my goodness. If you don’t want your husband, I’ll take him. He’s a hero. Edit: Holy crap! I got gold! I never got gold before. This is incredible.
Edit 2: 2 gold? I feel like I’m walking in clouds. Thank you so much. Edit 3: wtf are gilded awards? 3 gold? I don’t deserve this!
[Reddit User] − You need to email him… in all caps
AlpharoTheUnlimited − Stress can be a really dangerous thing. Some people drink, some are abusive under stress. Your husband, is harmlessly facetious AND kept you consistently entertained for three years without you knowing. I’d consider you blessed
vfxninja − Maybe it’s time to move? I think it’s really unhealthy to live with that kind of stress. I totally understand how your husband feels and it sucks that he felt he had to resort to onion theft to maintain his sanity. I also understand that you are upset because he was essentially keeping a secret from you, but I would try to understand why he felt he needed to do this, and figure out how you can solve it without him secretly torturing your neighbors.
QueenofMehhs − This is a g**damn crime and he should be ashamed. Smashing the delicious shallots instead of cooking with them? What’s this world coming to?
[Reddit User] − Everyone in this whole situation sounds so mellodramatic. Is this what keeps the drama spicy for middle aged white people? People stealing onions? Lord I’d move out of there so quickly
Do you think the husband’s behavior is harmless mischief or a deeper issue that needs addressing? How would you approach a situation where a loved one’s actions embarrass or unsettle you? Share your thoughts below and join the discussion!