Stolen personal belongings and a junkie friend - how to handle?

[polkadotzibra]

Not sure if this is the best place but this involves roommates in an apartment. A quick note is that we all get along and are good people, this involves outsiders. Here are the facts, as impartial as I can make them:

 

The apartmentmate Allen brought their friend Carl to spend a few nights at our place on our couch. My roommate's bf crashes at our couch occasionally too. They both did last night and this morning at 8:40, the bf (let's call him steve), woke up to find his phone gone. The phone had half battery life and sounds on, but calling it multiple times showed that the phone was turned off. It was on the coffee table right next to his couch which is where he usually places it since he has an alarm. I heard the alarm at 7:30 but didn't see who turned it off- i was in my room so i assumed steve did but he said he slept through it all. When I woke up, the only 2 people awake was Carl and my apartmentmate. So the phone was taken between 7:30-8:40.

 

While I was at class, my roommate and her bf searched all over the living room but could not find it. They asked to look through Carl's bags. He asked Steve not to tell Allen that he's a junkie and uses and Steve stated he saw needles in the bag. Steve did not touch anything in Carl's bag, Carl just took things out and sifted through it himself. There was no phone there. By this time, both parties are heated up. Allen and Carl are angry because Carl is implicated and Steve is angry that his phone is stolen, which had many personal things stored. Steve and I went to file a police report and the police asked for possible suspects, so we named Carl since he was someone new spending the night. Since we needed his phone number I called Allen, who was outraged that I would ask and said no.

 

I'm not sure what to do as I feel I'm stuck in the middle. It's possible someone snuck through our backyard door which was unlocked since someone was smoking there. It's possible Carl took it and sold it to support his habit. I reminded both parties of these two facts but Allen is having a hard time taking it in and is adamant that Carl wouldn't do it. My friends advised me to stay out of it but I feel I can't because it could have been my belongings taken. And I am shocked to find that a junkie stayed in our apartment. My head's a mess. It's wrong to assume things, such as a junkie stealing stuff, but the situation is pointing to Carl stealing it. What to do???

[pl3asehelp]

Why do you think it is it wrong to assume a drug addict would steal things?

 

Seems right to me - definitely the most likely explanation for what happened. You'd be a complete fool not to pursue the most likely scenario.

[polkadotzibra]

What should I do if Allen vehemently denies Carl is a junkie, even though Carl admitted it to Steve?

[pl3asehelp]

What should I do if Allen vehemently denies Carl is a junkie, even though Carl admitted it to Steve?

 

Just say 'Sorry people - something was stolen here and we need it back, so no more secrets...'

[polkadotzibra]

Argh, they're convinced it might be someone sneaking in from our backyard.

[pl3asehelp]

Argh, they're convinced it might be someone sneaking in from our backyard.

 

That's pretty unlikely. Breaking into a house or apartment is a pretty big deal and usually done by criminals with experience who have an objective. Would be very odd someone would take the huge risk of entering a residence only to just steal a cell phone.

[DN]

That's pretty unlikely. Breaking into a house or apartment is a pretty big deal and usually done by criminals with experience who have an objective. Would be very odd someone would take the huge risk of entering a residence only to just steal a cell phone.

Yes, exactly. Assuming it was stolen and not mislaid, this has to be someone in the house.

[MikNomis]

It's gotta be Carl. But alas, you have no proof, and pursuing this seems like you'll lose Allen as a friend and gain nothing from it.

[polkadotzibra]

I talked to Allen and Allen finally accepted its possible and perhaps likely his long known friend Carl is the thief and now he's more depressed than I've ever seen him. He admitted that Carl is in a recovery program for heroin addicts and he thought he was recovering. We then set down express rules on not having any hard drug users, even recovering addicts, sleeping over. While this seems solved, it got me thinking (rather sadly)- how much do we really know and trust our friends? What would you guys do if you were in Allen's shoes and was stuck between trusting your friend and realizing circumstances make it likely your friend stole?

[pl3asehelp]

I talked to Allen and Allen finally accepted its possible and perhaps likely his long known friend Carl is the thief and now he's more depressed than I've ever seen him. He admitted that Carl is in a recovery program for heroin addicts and he thought he was recovering. We then set down express rules on not having any hard drug users, even recovering addicts, sleeping over. While this seems solved, it got me thinking (rather sadly)- how much do we really know and trust our friends? What would you guys do if you were in Allen's shoes and was stuck between trusting your friend and realizing circumstances make it likely your friend stole?

 

Well for me, I had already come to the same conclusion you have without needing to have something stolen from me. You can't trust drug addicts, you just can't. Is it fair to them? No. Can they recover? Sure. BUT, you need to look out for yourself and having someone in your house who is highly likely to steal is not in your best interest. I sat that from the perspective of having friends and family members as addicts.