[solitude_is_bliss]

**Trigger warning

Roughly three hours ago, who's name is Ben and is unemployed and uneducated at 19 years old, stole 188$ from my mother's purse. I honestly don't understand why he would do something like this. I always give him money when he asks, and I've taken him out to eat before; hell, I even paid for his date! I just don't understand.

Before any of you go on with the crap "maybe it fell" he has a record for stealing. He's stolen multiple items when we would hang out, and amazingly got away with all of it until now.

The purse was on the counter that morning, adjacent to my bedroom and next to the bathroom. We were hanging out just having a good time and I honestly forgot the purse was there until he left. I recall him using the bathroom so I went to the living room to give him some privacy. Big mistake. Within that two minute window he managed to take the money and toss the purse into my closet. I know this sounds shady as **** and could easily be turned on me but I would never steal from my own mother.

Ben doesn't have much of a family life, most of them died tragically when he was younger. His father was shot/stabbed when he was 6 and his mother committed suicide a few years after. I don't remember what happened to his siblings, and honestly I think half the stories are full of ****. He's been bounced around from home to home and abused in one of them.

He currently lives with "Thumper", another one of the park regulars and supplies him with weed. I've already notified Thumper's parents, his entire neighborhood, and a handful of the weed suppliers at the park that Ben steals from little girl's mother's purses and not sure what to do now.

I messaged him on facebook and made a status on his page; he blocked me. He denied the entire thing and pushed the issue onto his dead mother. He didn't take responsibility for a damn thing.

I tried to give Ben a second chance through befriending him, I honestly did. Everyone is always telling me how much of an Butt he is, they wish he would be hit by a bus, shot/stabbed/OD/laid out ect, calling him names, rippin' and ****. It's as if he has absolutely no friends apart from Thumper and /maybe his ex.

My mother thinks I took the money and will place me under foster care before June if the money doesn't turn up. I honestly don't know what to do.

Does anyone have any tips on interrogation? I want him to admit what he did infront of all our friends, so they know what a piece of **** he is. I'm not the best manipulator in the world, but I have plenty of dirt on him that could get him in trouble with the courts.

[arachnophobia.kid]

Forgiveness, that'd be my advice. And then cut him out of your life.

Your anger is intense and I sympathize but I think you know revenge is not going to make anything better. If you demonstrate patience and forgiveness with him, you will win.

In terms of dealing with your mother, don't jump too far ahead, she may just be acting out and her threats might be empty. Also there is still time for her to see the truth in that you did not steal anything. Do you think that's possible?