Untrustworthy house sitter?

Question

im afraid of the housesitter that will be taking care of our home, i cant do anything about it though, so please dont recomend getting rid of them. i'll be gone for a little ovr a week, and this person is too self absorbed to do their job right. another main concern is that they have a history of stealing...no on e else beelives me though (doesnt that just suck.), i just want a list of things i can do to prove to me that they were in my stuff..u know, like stickng things in the drwers on the side, so that if it falls out and isnt placed the way i left it i'll know where they've been...

please tke the time to answer this im as desperate as it gets right now in this situation...this is my way i can prove that this person is messing around and not doing what they are supposed to be doing....i dont have much time..

Answer 1

Old trick from a Bond movie: take one of your hairs and Scotch tape it across the crack where the door meets the door jamb, or where 2 closet doors meet together in the middle. If the hair is broken or yanked out when you get back, you know the door was opened. Tape it up at the top where it won't be noticed, and of course, make sure the tape is completely transparent. Here's some others: inside a drawer, make sure that certain objects are facing a certain direction (i.e. all pencils facing left, all pens facing right), then check it when you return. / Make sure than hardwoods & shiny metal surfaces (i.e. end tables, fireplace mantles, cabinet and drawer handles, top of the oven range) are completely clean and buffed dry, then look closely for fingerprints and smudges when you return.

Answer 2

Get those mini spy cams and put them around your place. Mark items in certain places, so if it moves, you can catch it. Lay money out, take a pic, and see if it moves or is gone. Put it someplace not as obvious, like in a drawer or someplace that they would have no reason to be in so if it comes up missing they can't claim they thought it was for them.

I don't know 1) why you can't get rid of the person. If it is family you can simply say you are having someone else watch it. 2) if it is a 'friend' then why worry about pissing them off if they are stealing from you?! 3) I don't know why people need house sitters in the first place - especially when the intent is to prevent stealing. Doesn't sound like the person is doing you any favors.

Answer 3

put cameras up, or get the fake ones so she wont steal

Answer 4

The purpose of having a housesitter is to prevent thievery and feel more secure so I'm a little perplexed as to why you would have someone you don't trust and suspect is a thief guard your place and belongings. It seems to me if your that uncomfortable with this person you'd be better off leaving the place vacant then deal with the anxiety and bad feelings. Proof of a preventable misdeeds seems more then a little pointless.

Answer 5

Make subtle little contraptions that could be as simple as sticking something in a door hinge of a room she shouldn't go in. If she opens a drawer she shouldn't, looks in a closet, or goes into a room, that small thing will fall out. Try to make it something that won't make noise. Then scream at her while holding a running chainsaw if she goes anywhere she shouldn't.

Answer 6

if you have a room that they are not supposed to be in, dressers closets., ex. tape the bottom of the door (the outside) with scotch tape that way if they entered the door the tape won't be stuck anymore and you will know that they were in there

Answer 7

Get a "Nannycam" and video whats happening at your house when you are gone.

Also, make sure you lock up any valuables and personal/banking information in a safe/lock-box before you go!

Answer 8

never trust someone you don't feel comfortable with.  In addition anyone sitting for you should be bonded.  Otherwise have cameras (out of sight) set up near your valued items, or put your valued items in a safe place or safety deposit box.  Why should anyone believe you if you're spreading roomers about your sitter, for heavens sake, "you" have hired her, so that means you can't be trusted either, really.  

You can always not dust before you leave the home and tell them not to touch certain things...then check out if they moved or touched anything in particular or even thought to dust for you.  Next time you leave the home choose another sitter but have them checked out thru an agency first and check their criminal background.

Answer 9

just tell her that you have nanny cams everywhere... (or get nanny cams installed and don't tell her)

Answer 10

Buy a hidden surveillance camera that you can put inside of a teddy bear or a smoke alarm.

Get their actions on video.

After you have proof that they've stolen, say $5.00 from you, put them on a project where you make them do heavy labour (like moving stones), or better, hire them out to a landscaping company for a week (where they will be forced to move heavy wheelbarrows around).

After the week is over, charge the landscaping company $5.00 an hour for this person's wages. Pocket that.

Then fire the person, by showing them the videotape.

You'll end up with a wad of cash, and the dishonest person will not dare want to make a big deal out of their week of hard labour, in case you end up reporting their activities to the police.

Clever, huh?  Hehehe.

Answer 11

can you aford to get and rig up a video camera or web cam?  That's the best way to catch a thief.

Ceck this out:  http://www.homespy.com/

OR google: "hidden security camera"