To our milk thief - I am still shielding and you are very uncool.

[Otto2]

Dear Milk Thief -

Please stop stealing my milk (and juice). I live near Melbourne Grove and my family is shielding with me which means we are reliant on delivery as we cannot go in shops.

I have you on camera (a few times) walking up to my door with your baseball-style jacket with dark cuffs and waistband, light coloured winter hat that sits like a triangle above your round face - with trimmed facial hair, a tidy scarf around your neck. You have a distinctive gait - perhaps a bit of arthritis or a bad knee. You have a kind face and a glint in your eye as you take the milk. You are not young.

Please stop - we need the milk as much as you might. There are local food banks that can help you if you cannot afford your own milk and orange juice. Thank-you.

[James Barber]

Please do pass the footage to the local Police Safer Neighbourhood Team.

if they're stealing from you it's likely they're stealing from others.

If you need someone to shop for you please email me [email protected]

[Otto2]

Thanks James - we have a street what's app and they kindly have brought over some milk! Will pass on to the team - good idea.

[Abe_froeman]

Does it happen at a similar time on similar days?

[Huggers]

leave a huge note saying same thing- you can but try and its more likely to be seen by thief

[Otto2]

The time varies - today was 5:45. Actually did try to get it before him but he was first. Yes -- thanks Huggers.

[Lynne]

You could try replacing the milk with something that looks like ordinary milk but he might not enjoy drinking. This might make him have second thoughts about doing it again

[lameduck]

could you tie something covertly to your gate

that makes a noise when opened

[redpost]

just leave a message: "hope you enjoyed yesterdays milk, I used a hypodermic to inject my cats urine into it"

[KidKruger]

Couple of packs of crushed Ex-Lax in the milk should help sort this.

[exdulwicher]

Couple of packs of crushed Ex-Lax in the milk should help sort this.

I was thinking the same except that still relies on the homeowner getting out there at crack of dawn, tampering with his own milk/juice and then leaving it there for the culprit and while it might be entertaining it still leaves the poor soul in the same situation of having no milk! You can get very good tripwire burglar alarms too but again, you can't install/activate them the previous evening because the milkman will set them off when delivering.

Otto2: is there any way the milkman can deliver your order to a neighbour's house or perhaps get some sort of lockable metal crate put there for the milkman to leave it in?

Might be worth checking with neighbours too because if the thief is doing this to one house, chances are it's being done to a few.

[Otto2]

Thanks for all the good ideas. We have a plan...it is gentle, and, a bit funny. We are also going to ask the milkman to leave the milk in a non-obvious spot.

[redjam]

Do report back and let us know what you did!

I'd be tempted to print out a photo of the milk snatcher and leave it in the usual spot, along with a nice friendly handwritten note saying that you'll introduce yourself next time you meet in the street, now you know what he looks like.

[Otto2]

Update:

We have not had any further visits. Perhaps this note worked? Haven't even seen him walk by via my camera...

Mr. milk thief - thank you. I hope you have a Merry Christmas and wishing you all the best for 2021!

[KidKruger]

Claymore Mine

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32967096274.html?_randl_currency=GBP&_randl_shipto=GB&src=google&albch=shopping&acnt=494-037-6276&isdl=y&slnk=&plac=&mtctp=&albbt=Gploogle_7_shopping&aff_atform=google&aff_short_key=UneMJZVf&&albagn=888888&albcp=9317296204&albag=99548979972&trgt=299423776478&crea=en32967096274&netw=u&device=m&albpg=299423776478&albpd=en32967096274&gclid=CjwKCAiA8ov_BRAoEiwAOZogwVAIkrp_GaW3JqqCHfcOzRwagRzMLl1A9wgbUOcfkeXwKxQ346Y6ABoCqT4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[UptownDully21border]

I have plenty milk to spare as people seem to be leaving milk on their doorsteps giving it away for free. I recommend going around early in the morning as its when everyone gives milk away to the less fortunate. May I also say to the people doing this I am extremely grateful for your charity and I know that many others are also. I hope this helped Otto2!

[Otto2]

Dude - that is cruel. Our household income has been halved here and we are struggling. I know you are just trolling me but - it is depressing enough around here without that.