AITA I got a warning at work because I tried to catch the person who kept stealing my lunch and it turned out to be my manager. She got a reaction and had to go to the hospital.

Office lunch theft is an ongoing problem, but what happens when a hungry, pregnant employee fights back? One Redditor found herself in trouble after setting up a spicy decoy meal to catch a repeat food thief—who turned out to be her manager.

OP works at a family-owned company and has been dealing with someone repeatedly stealing her lunch. OP decided to create a decoy meal packed with cayenne pepper. When her meal was inevitably stolen, it led to unexpected consequences—her manager had a severe allergic reaction and ended up in the hospital. Scroll down to read the entire story!

‘AITA I got a warning at work because I tried to catch the person who kept stealing my lunch and it turned out to be my manager. She got a reaction and had to go to the hospital.’

Expert Analysis:

Understanding the Conflict:

Workplace conflict expert Dr. Amanda White explains, “Food theft in professional settings creates an environment of distrust. When management is the culprit, it further undermines company morale.”

OP’s situation is particularly difficult because her manager, the very person responsible for maintaining fairness, is the offender. This makes it nearly impossible for OP to seek justice through conventional HR channels.

Legal and Ethical Considerations:

According to employment lawyer David Shaw, “While food tampering is legally murky, OP technically did nothing wrong. She prepared a meal for herself, not with the intention to harm but to deter theft. However, since the result led to medical harm, companies may use this against an employee regardless of fault.”

OP may want to consider documenting the ongoing thefts to establish a pattern of workplace misconduct by her manager.

Potential Solutions and Takeaways:

OP should report the incidents to upper management or HR, outlining repeated thefts.
Keeping a record of stolen meals can help build a case if further action is needed.
If the company fails to act, OP may consider legal consultation regarding food theft and workplace mistreatment.
Using a secured lunch container with a lock could prevent further issues without causing harm.

Here’s what Redditors had to say about this outrageous workplace incident:

Most Redditors firmly sided with OP, arguing that she had every right to defend her food. Many pointed out that the manager should be the one receiving consequences, not OP.