Boss steals the batteries from employee's mouse when he's not looking, employee gets even: 'Swap batteries, then dump your unfinished coffee into his trash can'

Author image for Ben Weiss
Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Apr 26, 2025 8:00 AM EDT

Just because he's your boss does not give him the right to your personal items! You would think this was a self-explanatory rule because most folks come to learn this in kindergarten, but if you want to borrow something from someone, you have a far greater chance of getting it with no repercussions if you simply ask nicely. 

The funny thing about the entitled bosses of the world is that they seem to think they can bypass asking for anything nicely just because they sign your paychecks. This kind of behavior will only get worse and worse if you let it slide. So although it can be difficult to do (especially if you're a non-confrontational people pleaser like I am), you need to stand up for your right to your own property. This employee is learning this the hard way, but as we always say, it's never too late to step into your own power as an employee!

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    Cheezburger Image 10498380288
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Apparently, this was not the first time this author's boss tried to pull a fast one on him. After recently staining the employee's personal trash bin by dumping his unfinished coffee into it, this boss had the audacity to steal the employee's batteries when he wasn't looking. No request, no note. He just went ahead and did it, almost as if he wanted to prank the author (although it sounds like this boss doesn't have much of a sense of humor… instead, he likely was just being entitled). Here's the full account from the employee's perspective, along with feedback and suggestions from other folks in the online community. 

  • 02

    "Boss stole the batteries out of my mouse"

    I do a lot of design work and brought my own personal ergonomic mouse into the office. We are in the smack dab middle of our busy season so I've had to crank out an absurd amount of work, under time pressures ofc.
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  • 03
    My mouse was acting up and not clicking correctly or at all during this week's rush, only to find out that last week, my boss' mouse was losing battery so he switched his batteries out with mine while I wasn't in the office.
    via moppyroamer
  • 04
    This is after I had to scrub out a recycling bin yesterday because he threw his unfinished coffee into it (not the first time, won't be the last).
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  • 05
    What would you do if you were me, dealing with patterns like this from your boss?
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    OO 15:56 Donnerstag, 15. Juli 开
    via Joshua Kettle

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 07
    Red_Wolf248 • 22h ago Swap batteries, then dump your unfinished coffee into his trash can.
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    R-Dragon_Thun... 22h ago Uh, the coffee thing is gross. IDK how to help you there. For the mouse idk my boss is prankster at heart, a
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  • 09
    seriously. He is a kid with a pension plan. I would do the ol' mouse prank I've been using since IDK when, probably first time I was in college in a compsci major:
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  • 10
    tape this picture to the bottom of his mouse and make sure it's blocking the optical tracker...
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    Dru65535 22h ago • Take your battery back, dump your unfinished coffee into his mouse.
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    jueidu • 21h ago My boss does this regularly about everything. Cant find his charging cable? "Give me yours." (My PERSONAL ONE I BROUGHT FROM HOME.) when I asked for it back a few days later? "Wow. Okay! Just... wow."
    via moppyroamer
  • 13
    Needs batteries? "Give me yours. Are you using your cable tester right now? Then give me yours."
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    Needs a plate for lunch? Uses whoever's personal plate from home is clean and in the cabinet, because he refuses to wash his own dishes and only pays cleaners to come twice a month. Etc etc etc.
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    Hashishiva 21h ago • Take the batteries with you, along everything else you don'twant to be 'borrowed', when you go home. Do not clean their mess. Not your job, and if they insist, ask them to show on your job description the part which says you have clean up other's mess.
    via moppyroamer
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    Melt _Ice . 21h ago If you want to play the long game, take your mouse batteries home each night, but leave de d ones in the mouse when you are away from work. Next time he steals your batteries when you aren't there, he's stealing de d batteries.
    via moppyroamer
  • 17
    Eventually this will force him to purchase his own, or steal elsewhere.
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  • 18
    CommercialExoti... . 21h ago I would go into his office looking in his eyes and take my batteries back. I would also eventually leave with no notice.
    via moppyroamer
  • 19
    Twoshrubs 20h ago Plug in a second mouse into his PC, then wiggle and click at random times.
    via moppyroamer
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    vatothe0 20h ago . Clear nail polish over one of his mouse battery terminals.
    via moppyroamer

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workplace-stories office supplies work stories toxic-workplace job work petty revenge Office Horrible Bosses Reddit company toxic-work-environment
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