Theft by a friend of a friend... what to do?

[Gilligan]

So... I have a friend/employee that does everything for us.  He cleans the house, mows the grass... anything and everything.

Well, while we were on our cruise he was watching over the house.  Well, he went to the gay bar and picked up a guy and brought him to our house.  I've expressed to him I never wanted this sort of thing to happen (I obviously don't like people in my house that I don't know well).

Well, we got back and I went to go to work today and I noticed two of our handguns were missing from the closet (plain sight)... one was brought home from the office so in case the shop got broken in while we were gone it wouldn't get stolen (ironic I know).

Now... my friend is a trust worthy guy and he made a mistake (a BIG one).  He at first lied and said he didn't bring anyone in the house... but after I laid it all out that he is the ONLY one with a key that was home (everyone else was with us on the cruise), he admitted that he did bring someone in.  He of course doesn't know anything about the guy.

Obviously I have called the cops, he is sitting right here waiting for them to arrive so he can tell whatever he has to tell.  The wife is going back to check on everything else that could have been grabbed easily without my friend seeing.  One of the guns was sitting on my wife's jewelry box so he possibly easily grabbed that also.

My issue is how do I handle my friendship/working relationship with this guy?

[mk162]

Not a tough choice at all.  He violated YOUR trust.  I would kick his butt to the curb and start looking for a new friend.  What's to say this guy didn't like the other things he saw and won't be coming back later...armed.

He screwed up and not in a "hey, I backed into your car" type of a way.

[IntegrityShirts]

Not a tough choice at all.  He violated YOUR trust.  I would kick his butt to the curb and start looking for a new friend.  What's to say this guy didn't like the other things he saw and won't be coming back later...armed.

He screwed up and not in a "hey, I backed into your car" type of a way.

Even if something didn't end up missing and you found out he had a stranger in your house I'd look for another friend.  My mind would go numb trying to fathom all the personal space he let a stranger have a field day with.  Not to mention bodily fluids etc lol get out the black light!

[Shawn (EIP)]

Not a tough choice at all.  He violated YOUR trust.  I would kick his butt to the curb and start looking for a new friend.  What's to say this guy didn't like the other things he saw and won't be coming back later...armed.

He screwed up and not in a "hey, I backed into your car" type of a way.

Even if something didn't end up missing and you found out he had a stranger in your house I'd look for another friend.  My mind would go numb trying to fathom all the personal space he let a stranger have a field day with.  Not to mention bodily fluids etc lol get out the black light!

The freindship would be toast but first I'd make him disinfect the entire house without pay.

[stitches4815]

Even if something didn't end up missing and you found out he had a stranger in your house I'd look for another friend.  My mind would go numb trying to fathom all the personal space he let a stranger have a field day with.  Not to mention bodily fluids etc lol get out the black light!

Ewwwww.....  I just threw up in my mouth.  I agree though.

[Frog]

I also believe that as a gun owner, you have some responsibility making yours a little harder to make it to the street!

[inkman996]

You can still remain friends but let him know all trust is gone and may never return.

[mk162]

Frog is correct on that one.  If you were going out of town, why didn't you lock up your guns?  Do you own a gun safe?

I wouldn't be friends with him anymore.  That's too much, an accident is one thing, but he made a conscience decision to bring a person over to the house, that person ended up stealing a gun.

Sorry, but this is an easy call for me.  And my wife will tell you I am a pretty darn forgiving person, but when it pushes me over the line, you're done.

[ScreenFoo]

I'm with a few of the posts here--if I were in this situation I can't speak for the friendship, but there would be no more working relationship, unless there were real offers to make everything as right as possible.  Did he offer to pay for everything stolen?  How do you know he wasn't just in on the cut?  I was once of the persuasion that I don't trust most people any further than I can throw them... then I started thinking about how far I can throw people.

I'm with Frog and mk162 as well--if you replace the guns at least get a quality gun safe and hide it well.  It wouldn't hurt to hide it bolted to an unusually sturdy part of the house...

[3Deep]

We had our home broken into last year and its a scary feeling, but for smeone to just walk in freely and finger shop and hey why did he not go to his own home with this guy and then I would have to really clean my house and what the hell was he doing in your bedroom !!!!

Darryl

[Shawn (EIP)]

What happens if that gun kills someone and it gets traced back to you? 

[mk162]

you'll need to report it stolen ASAP.

[Gilligan]

He just turned in his key.

This sucks... the wife and I are pretty much 100% eye to eye on this.  He f'd up and then lied about it.  We both hate that it happened at the same time because he is a really good guy and he just screwed up.  But like you guys, I can't stand when someone betrays my trust.  I don't even like it when a friend brings a friend into my house when I'm THERE!

I think he would work off the "damages", but I don't think we will pursue that, I don't think my wife wants him around at all.  I'm with her, I'm just a very forgiving person... but the lies just don't sit with me.

He's had a key to my house for over a year and comes and goes taking care of house work day in and day out and never has as much as taken a penny from us.  Just a huge lapse in judgment.

As far as the guns go... well, I did bring one home from work so it wouldn't be left at the unattended office for a week... I assume my bedroom is secure... I sleep there you know.  Gun safe would be nice for these types of situation but I wouldn't use it for the guns on a regular basis as I want quick easy access to them if I were to need them.

They won't be traced back to me because they are reported stolen and actually if anyone gets stopped or anything they will run the numbers and they are in the national crime database so they SHOULD come up.  Still need to get the serial number for one of them (it was 11 years old) but the gun store where it was purchased is still open so they have it on file.

[jesterapparel]

I'd wash your sheets.

[jesterapparel]

I'd wash your sheets.

Nevermind this, I'd actually throw the sheets out and buy new ones.
My guess is he wasn't just showing the guy around.