# How can i find out who is messing with me? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 22, 2013, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390 "2013-04-22T07:49:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Standarduser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@Standarduser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Standarduser)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/1 "2013-04-22T07:49:52Z")
Really need your help on this one. In my workplace i have two computer stations: the good internet room, and the crappy censored internet pc in the office. Working in the internet room is much better than the crappy office pc - yet its locked, and someone is putting things inside the lock to prevent my key from opening the room. They replaced the lock three times already, and its getting on my nerves. The internet room is located inside the cafeteria, which serves half of my work complex. My work complex has about 2000 people. In the very least, a few hundred people will go through this cafeteria in a day. How can i find which one of them tempers with the lock? To my knowledge i have no enemies in my work, and even if i had a suspect i couldnt get him to stop without an evidence. A camera is out of the question. How can i find one suspect from hundreds of pepole? Are there any traps or detective tricks i can employ to find out whos this jerk is? ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/2 "2013-04-22T07:52:39Z")
You think someone is doing something to a door lock that ONLY affects your door key? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/3 "2013-04-22T09:50:18Z")
I don’t understand this either. Do other people use the computer room? What makes you think someone is messing with you in particular? Whoever it is could be doing it just to be a dick to everybody. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/4 "2013-04-22T09:55:10Z")
Why is a camera out of the question? ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/5 "2013-04-22T09:58:54Z")
How often do they mess with the lock? Is it three times in the past WEEK, or in the past YEAR? If a camera is not an option, then maybe what you need is a spy. Find someone to nothing other than sit in the cafeteria and watch for tamperers. This person can’t be you, because your presence will scare the tamperer away.Maybe hire a temp. ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/6 "2013-04-22T10:01:03Z")
> [@echo7tango](#): > > Why is a camera out of the question? You’re probably not allowed to put up surveillance cameras just because… In many (most?) parts of the world it would be against the law too. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/7 "2013-04-22T10:42:56Z")
> [@Wakinyan](#): > > You’re probably not allowed to put up surveillance cameras just because… In many (most?) parts of the world it would be against the law too. I’d be very surprised if it would be against the law for a business to put up a camera to find out which one of their employees is vandalizing the door locks. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/8 "2013-04-22T11:28:11Z")
A coworker was finding missing money from his desk. He set up a camera. He caught the night crew guy taking it. He notified HR, and then got the night crew manager. The thief was fired and his money refunded. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/9 "2013-04-22T11:59:52Z")
> [@echo7tango](#): > > Why is a camera out of the question? It will show he OP, wearing his grandmother’s wig, tempering (sic) with the lock. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/10 "2013-04-22T12:06:13Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > It will show he OP, wearing his grandmother’s wig, tempering (sic) with the lock. Makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![jonesj2205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jonesj2205](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonesj2205)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/11 "2013-04-22T12:23:11Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > It will show he OP, wearing his grandmother’s wig, tempering (sic) with the lock. He would have gotten away with it too except for that meddling Internet. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/12 "2013-04-22T12:29:54Z")
Why is the OP asking for advice here instead of working through HR or corporate security? ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/13 "2013-04-22T13:06:48Z")
even a fake camera (i.e. not really hooked up) would serve as a deterrent. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/14 "2013-04-22T13:34:18Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Why is the OP asking for advice here instead of working through HR or corporate security? Because he wants to surf uncensored on a open computer wasting his employer’s time. And he would have to explain that to the powers that be. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/15 "2013-04-22T13:43:14Z")
Switch to a combination lock. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/16 "2013-04-22T13:53:49Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > Why is the OP asking for advice here instead of working through HR or corporate security? > > Because he wants to surf uncensored on a open computer wasting his employer’s time. And he would have to explain that to the powers that be. I assumed that he was using the computer in the cafeteria as part of his duties, but I think you’re right; he’s just avoiding work and surfing sites blocked by corporate IT. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/17 "2013-04-22T14:13:39Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Why is the OP asking for advice here instead of working through HR or corporate security? Maybe the OP **is** HR or corporate security? ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/18 "2013-04-22T14:16:13Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Because he wants to surf uncensored on a open computer wasting his employer’s time. And he would have to explain that to the powers that be. Could be, but even so, I’d think that the powers that be are getting tired of replacing the lock, and would like to catch the vandal. ---
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/19 "2013-04-22T14:33:18Z")
Wireless, battery-powered webcam, disguised as something else, covering the door in question. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/20 "2013-04-22T14:35:43Z")
A teeny, tiny sign right above the lock, reading STUFF IT UP YOUR ASS INSTEAD! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390.md?page=2)