On this week’s So You Think You’re an Adult, one person is dealing with the eternal struggle of not wanting to be a rat. 

“I work in an office, and I’ve noticed something about my co-worker recently, and I don’t know if I should say something or keep my mouth shut,” he told Moncrieff. 

“He keeps stealing stuff and thinks I don’t notice. 

“We make fitness accessories and every time a new product comes into the office for inspection or design reasons, at the end of the day he will take them home.” 

He said their boss recently was looking for a foam roller and thought it had been misplaced – but the listener saw his coworker take it. 

“I’m getting worried because I’m always in the office the same times as him, and I don’t want to get blamed for something I didn’t take,” he said. 

“Should I go to management and raise my concerns about him, or should I say nothing?” 

'Does he know he's robbing?'

Broadcaster Declan Buckey said the writer is “quite clear what their own moral compass is telling them is happening there”. 

He said the first thing to do is say something to the coworker to see if he realises he is in fact stealing from the office. 

“I’m wondering whether or not the person doesn’t actually have the intelligence to realise he’s robbing,” he said. 

Actress Mary McEvoy suggested telling the coworker the next time he tries to steal something, “You do know we’re not allowed to take things home, right?”. 

Should you be a rat?

Once the coworker’s own thoughts have been figured out, the listener needs to assess whether they would get in trouble by telling management or not. 

“They’re in their right to be a bit vigilant,” Declan said. 

“Depending on the size of your organisation, you might find that there's like a policy about this kind of thing. 

“That will give you the answer to your dilemma, because we'll actually see clearly and printed out it’s part of your employment contract that if you’re aware of X, Y or Z, and you do not inform management, you will be assumed to be involved.” 

Many people texted in to point out there’s no need to “snitch” or “rat” on the coworker – but Declan said we’re not in primary school anymore. 

“The reality of it is that it could happen that because you didn’t ‘snitch’ them out, you’re an accomplice and you could lose your job,” he said. 

A recent study suggests some 75% of employees have stolen from their boss at least once – and that’s just the people who admit to it.