Roommate Theft Conflict

[cheer615]

New York

Hi my name is Angela and I am a Senior in college, upstate NY. I have recently been informed that my roommate has several clothing items missing. I was contacted by the police and the student conduct at my school. Here is the thing I am barely in the room. I work an hour away and I go home majority of the time because it is closer than the dorm. One weekend I went away with my family, I went back to the dorm to grab my laundry and a jacket from my part of the closet. We dont share a dresser, we each have our own. When I received a call from the police officer he questioned why I went back to the room and what time. The time I told him checked out and he continued to call. He called while I was in class and would leave messages asking me questions about why I am never there. I told him I work and I go to school. My roommate said she went home that weekend and I invited her to come with my family and I, she said no and that was the end of the conversation. I never returned back to the room after then. My roommate text me asking if i saw any of her clothing items and I said no. She stated that her stuff was missing. When the police officer called me again he asked why I hadn't returned to the room to see if any of my stuff was taken, I had told him that i had no reason to believe that my stuff was taken. He continued to call, then I received a call from student conduct to have a meeting. When I went to the meeting which was yesterday, the woman yelled at me accusing me of taking my roommates things. I have never touched anything of my roommates and I didn't expect her to touch anything of mine. The woman was very rude insinuating that I took my roommates belongings. The police office was the same way. I spoke to the Vice President of Student Affairs at my school, letting them know the situation and she stated that they are just trying to solve it. My thing is that I am barely there and sometimes her friends are at our room. She goes home as well and perhaps her clothes were there. I am justing writing on the forum to see what I can do. I have not done anything wrong, but I am getting yelled at my police officers and student conduct because I am her roommate. I understand they come to me first, but they are accusing me of doing something I never did. If you can give me some advice on how to handle this matter I would greatly appreciate it. I plan on talking to the President at my school. Is this a good idea?

Thank you so much!What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

 

[quincy]

Being investigated for a crime you did not commit is not exactly fun but you are right that, as the roommate, you would be a logical suspect and one the police would want to question. The school is only following the lead of the police with their questioning so, as they have already told you, they can attempt to solve the case of the missing clothing items.

But, complaints made to the police, and investigations into a theft, cannot (generally) support a defamation action. For a statement to be defamatory it must be false and statements made to the police in a complaint are considered neither true nor false. That is why there are investigations.

I understand your wanting to talk to the president of the school about the matter. Your life is being disrupted over a theft of which you had no knowledge or involvement. But I am not sure a talk with the president of the school will hold much value.

I think that instead of the president of the school, the person you should probably talk to is your roommate.

 

[cheer615]

Response

Hi, thanks for the reply.

I have not been back in the room since this whole incident started. For some reason I think she is claiming her stuff is missing the get a single room. She is going about it the wrong way. She had told me she does not like living with people and she prefers to live alone. She then stated that her 3 articles of clothing reappeared and I was not in the room to be pin pointed as the person who took it. I have no idea what to do. What would be the best thing to do about this situation? Should I wait it out?

 

[quincy]

You could wait it out. The stolen items are back, you are off the hook as a suspect and, once your senior year is over and you graduate, you will never have to see this particular trouble-making roommate again.

You could also try for a room reassignment.

 

[Banned_Princess]

If you usually just go home instead of to the dorm, why dont you just move back home, save your parents some money.

And if RM has friends over all the time, and she thinks you took her cloths, I suggest you go look at what is missing from your stuff.