# 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:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/21 "2013-04-22T15:08:27Z")
> [@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. In the US, cameras can go anywhere where you can be observed by ‘the public’. If the employer can put a security officer there to watch, they can put a camera. > [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > Switch to a combination lock. Suggest that to your employer. I’m sure your employer is as ticked off having to keep changing the lock. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/22 "2013-04-22T15:21:57Z")
Aren’t your maintenance people getting tired of fixing that lock? You would think that they would recommend changing it to a card reader or combo style lock. Also, I believe that the company would need to place the camera there and not just the employee. Many work places have a blanket policy against anyone taking pictures inside their buildings these days in order to avoid conflicts in the workplace. ---
**Author:** ![Blkshp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blkshp/32/7135_2.png) [@Blkshp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blkshp)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/23 "2013-04-22T17:07:37Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > A teeny, tiny sign right above the lock, reading STUFF IT UP YOUR ASS INSTEAD! And SMILE FOR THE CAMERA! Seriously, a simple sign announcing video surveillance is a first step. If it happens again, actually put one in. At this point the company has invested enough in locks that a cheap camera might be justified. Plus, if they have an employee that is willing to be destructive over (real or imagined) stuff so minor, what might they be capable of if they get really honked off about something. The person has a problem, if only immaturity. ---
**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, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/24 "2013-04-22T20:26:20Z")
You said “to prevent my key from opening the lock,” but would it prevent ANY key from opening the lock? What is the person’s possible motivation, other than to keep everyone out of that room? ---
**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, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/25 "2013-04-22T22:09:10Z")
> [@Learjeff](#): > > You said “to prevent my key from opening the lock,” but would it prevent ANY key from opening the lock? What is the person’s possible motivation, other than to keep everyone out of that room? That was the reason I suggested a cuckoo vibe earlier… ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/26 "2013-04-22T23:19:42Z")
This poster has a history of starting threads and not coming back to them, so I wouldn’t be surprised if all of your (very legitimate) questions are never answered. Especially why (s)he thinks that someone is out to get only hir (hot new neologism for him/her) by messing up the lock. Especially why this person is seeking help on a message board instead of through company channels. I think some of you have come too near the truth for comfort. Roddy ---
**Author:** ![Standarduser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@Standarduser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Standarduser)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/27 "2013-04-23T08:30:43Z")
> [@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. Censored means gmail, yahoo answers, and special forums like history forums. I am an essayist, and i use the internet to help me in my essays and lectures i give to everyone else. > [@](#): > > They replaced the lock three times already If i dont explain it to the “powers that be” than how the hell did they replace it? Did you enter this thread to help me, or to throw ridiculous allegations at me that could be simply disproved by ACTUALLY READING my post? And no, my workplace managers have no logic. They dont use it. Thats why they wont install a camera. All they can do is replace the lock forever. I just want to do my job without any interruptions. ---
**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 23, 2013, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/28 "2013-04-23T09:25:49Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > You think someone is doing something to a door lock that ONLY affects your door key? Perhaps you could answer this question? ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/29 "2013-04-23T09:26:57Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > This poster has a history of starting threads and not coming back to them, so I wouldn’t be surprised if all of your (very legitimate) questions are never answered. I feel your pain, **Roderick Femm**. I’ve been here long enough to get very frustrated by such posters. But I also know that some people have schedules which allow them to post only for a short time each day, and that’s why I try to give them at least two days before complaining. In this particular case, **Standarduser** DID return after less than 25 hours, and an apology might be appropriate. On the other hand, I’m just an ordinary poster, and I’m NOT a moderator, so if anyone thinks that I’M the one who is out of line, then I hereby apologize to **Roderick Femm**. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/30 "2013-04-23T09:38:49Z")
> [@Learjeff](#): > > What is the person’s possible motivation, other than to keep everyone out of that room? There might not BE any particular motivation. “Never ascribe to malice, that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.” That lock might simply be some idiot’s preferred place to put his chewing gum. I second the suggestion to change 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 23, 2013, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/31 "2013-04-23T12:05:16Z")
> [@Standarduser](#): > > Censored means gmail, yahoo answers, and special forums like history forums. I am an essayist, and i use the internet to help me in my essays and lectures i give to everyone else. If you can justify access to these sites as needed for your job responsibilities, then by all means request that they be unblocked. My employer, for one, has a process to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/32 "2013-04-23T12:39:55Z")
I think a sign announcing video surveillance would be the cheapest solution. Or just hide out in the cafeteria and wait for the culprit to strike, then challenge him to a pun war. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/33 "2013-04-23T13:15:28Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > 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. Someone would then steal the handle. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/34 "2013-04-24T02:34:51Z")
Can you install software on the computers in that room? If not, can you execute from a thumbdrive? Add a web cam to one of the machines. If this is a standard institutional door, I’m guessing it has a glass pane or something similar - especially if the room is meant to monitored, which I assume it would be. Point the camera at a slight angle so you catch the window in the edge of the FOV and the software to only record motion. Might have to set the sensitivity pretty high, but should work. Not sure how legal this would be so you’d need to check your jurisdiction not to mention maybe clearing with somebody higher up who has some sense - i.e., not your immediate bosses. Anyway you can set it to just take stills not full video, which is all I would do since you can get much higher resolution. That would be minimally intrusive anyway especially if set a long interval like say a minute. It’s a public area anyway so it hard to see how it would violate any expectation of privacy, but you’re on your own there. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/35 "2013-04-24T11:47:17Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Someone would then steal the handle. Yeah, and then the pump won’t even work. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Standarduser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@Standarduser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Standarduser)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390/36 "2013-04-26T08:08:08Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > If you can justify access to these sites as needed for your job responsibilities, then by all means request that they be unblocked. My employer, for one, has a process to do so. Already did. Bureaucracy, bureaucracy, bureaucracy… And the door is not made of glass but of wood. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-find-out-who-is-messing-with-me/656390.md?page=1)