parental advice/opinion needed

GHOST MGG

My 13 yr old son was with some school friends in a large well known electronic store after christmas.He arrived home and proceeded to tell me that one of his friends found a 50 euro gift card on the floor of the store and had given it to my son outside later as he was the only one of them who had access to the account this card/voucher was for.

I was immediately horrified by this as to me this is tantamount to stealing,Its so out of character for the kid and he swears it was the other boy who picked it up and walked out of the shop.I plan on bringing my son and the voucher to the store as soon as possible and to explain to the manager what happened for good or for bad.

I want to really teach the kid a lesson that this kind of behaviour just isnt acceptable,my only worry is that in my mind its possible he could be prosecuted(if that happens i will just have to accept it and deal with it as a responsible parent).

If anyone else has any other ideas of how i approach this with the store/gardai even if i have too i would be pleased to hear them.

Peregrinus

In theory he could be prosecuted, either for stealing or for receiving stolen goods. But if the first think the store knows about it is that you and your son arrive to hand in a lost item found in the store, I think a prosecution is wildly unlikely. They'll just thank you for returning the item.

Joeseph Balls

What do you mean he was the only one who has access to the account it was for? Was it someone you knows card?

GHOST MGG

It was a steam voucher card (steam is a computer game online type of store)

Atlantic Dawn

Is the voucher active? Normally those that are around the store are not loaded with cash until they are put through the tills.

GHOST MGG

Its a voucher with a scratch panel on back that reveals an online code thats submitted online to redeem the cash.

Joeseph Balls

GHOST MGG wrote: »

It was a steam voucher card (steam is a computer game online type of store)

Ah ok. I know Steam. Probably silly on your sons part to accept it but no real harm done. Bring it back and have a chat with your son.
Also worth noting, he told you. So he new it was wrong. Taking it off his friend aside, which was stupid, you've an honest kid who came to his mum and told her

SuperSean11

Just bring it back, your son didn’t steal it from the store he was given it. Praise him for being honest, wouldn’t make a big deal about it.

SimpleDimples

Sounds like you guys have a good relationship given that he told you.

If I were you I wouldn't jeopardise that by overreacting to something which he had very little to do with.

Don't tell him spent it but bringing it back & making him do so appears excessive & you risk him not telling you about any future situations he finds himself in that he's not comfortable with.

GHOST MGG

@SimpleDimples I hear what you are saying..we do have a good relationship but he knows right from wrong and he was notbrought up with a dishonest mindset,Harsh as my idea sounded about bringing him to the store to the manager i feel and so does my wife that he needs to learn a life lesson.

zoe 3619

Sounds a little harsh.If your son was given the card by a friend,then came home and told you,what would you have liked him to have done differently?
Return the card by all means,but unless I'm missing something I don't see how he's at fault.

GHOST MGG

@zoe3619 I was just dissapointed that he would have known that the card should never have been picked up and removed from the store in the first place..he was present at this time with 3 others,i would have hoped he would have handed to a cashier while he was still in the store but maybe peer pressure made him think twice

SimpleDimples

You are punishing for something his friend did! If he was ok with it he (a) would never have told you (b) would have used the card without telling you.

He told you because he knew it was wrong. He told you because he was brought up to know it was not the right thing to do. He told you because of what you thought him to date.

Don't be the parent who loses a great relationship with their kids by "overparenting" - use the opportunity to talk about peer pressure etc. He is 13, you have a long way to go with him yet as he makes his way in the world - pick your battles!!!

Is he your eldest?

P. Breathnach

[I hope the mods indulge me by allowing me to offer parenting advice rather than legal advice.]

It would be a mistake to humiliate your son when there was more right behaviour than wrong in what he has done.

If you think a high-impact event might benefit him, get him to return the voucher to the shop.

nuac

Mod
Parenting issues are most important, but are there any further legal points to discuss here?.

Indricotherium

nuac wrote: »

Mod
Parenting issues are most important, but are there any further legal points to discuss here?.

If an unloaded voucher card is taken from a shop could it be theft?

It more than likely has "no cash value" printed on it. It's less valuable than a blank sheet of headed paper.

GHOST MGG

Thanks for all the replies you can close this thread now nuac as i have resolved the situation thanks.

nuac

Mod
Closed at OP's request