Woman gets fired on the spot for getting entitled coworker arrested for stealing her $1800 ergonomic office chair: 'He refused. So I called the cops'

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Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Nov 26, 2025 12:00 PM EST

If you spend most of your day sitting at work, it's important to have a comfortable chair. Anyone who's ever worked a desk job know that a bad one can ruin your spine, mood, and will to live by 2 p.m. That level of comfort isn't always guaranteed by chairs bought on company coin, however. One new hire decided to buy her own $1800 ergonomic chair for her job and accidentally ignited a workplace war. 

Theft in the workplace isn't anything new, but it certainly doesn't make it right. Most of the time, it's desk supplies or lunches in the communcal fridge that go missing or end up where they shouldn't be. But in today's tale, it's the aforementioned chair. When this new hire comes to work one day, she finds her coworker parked in the personal chair that she bought with her own money. He refuses to move, and management barely paid attention to the matter. So, our narrator decided to call the police and press charges right on the spot. She might have also gotten fired for escalating so much, but at least she got her chair back. 

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  • 01

    Someone at work stole my chair. So I had them arrested.

    Cheezburger Image 10579601920
    via Truecreatives from TrueCreatives

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    I got a new job in sales working for a company that sells access control systems, CCTV systems, etc. The chair in my cubicle was
    via u/LeffJeff
  • 03
    uncomfortable so I day 31 brought in my own Herman Miller Aeron chair. On day 4 it was missing. I looked around and
    via u/LeffJeff
  • 04
    another sales rep was sitting in it. I asked for it back but he basically told me to off.
    via u/LeffJeff
  • 05
    I went and spoke to the owner of the company. He told me that the chairs aren't reserved. They are first come first serve. I explained
    via u/LeffJeff
  • 06
    that I OWN the chair and it cost me $1800. He told me that I need to come in earlier if I want that chair.
    via u/LeffJeff
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10579602688
    via FatCamera from Getty Images Signature

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 08
    The next day the same guy was sitting in it when I got to the office. I told him to give it back or I was going to call the cops. He refused. So I called the cops.
    via u/LeffJeff
  • 09
    It was quite the scene, but in the end he admitted that he took my EIGHTEEN HUNDRED DOLLAR chair. I was prepared. I had the
    via u/LeffJeff
  • 10
    receipt which showed the serial number. (Yes, Aeron chairs have serial numbers.) They asked me if I wanted to press charges. My
    via u/LeffJeff
  • 11
    new boss said I would be terminated if I had him arrested, so I said "Absolutely! I want to press charges!"
    via u/LeffJeff
  • 12
    Cheezburger Image 10579602432
    via kali9 from Getty Images Signature

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 13
    My new boss fired me on the spot, so I carried my chair out with me a I was leaving. And yes, the cops arrested the dude who took my chair (He admitted to it!).
    via u/LeffJeff
  • 14
    The dude who took my chair has been in the industry for about 15 years, but he's going to lose his security license, which means he
    via u/LeffJeff
  • 15
    won't be able to work in the industry. He's going to lose his job. I don't give a shit. He shouldn't have stolen my chair.
    via u/LeffJeff
  • 16
    Cheezburger Image 10579602176
    via Karola G from Pexels

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 17
    ThrowingAbundance Due to lower back issues, I always provided my own desk chair, and made sure it was CLEARLY
    via u/ThrowingAbundance
  • 18
    marked that it was my personal property. I also used a bicycle cable log to secure my chair to my desk at the end of the day.
    via u/ThrowingAbundance
  • 19
    One co-worker had his office chair disappear, so he sent an email to the ENTIRE global company address book. It was hysterically funny to read the response emails.
    via u/ThrowingAbundance
  • 20
    R_meowwy_welcome I worked in a call center years ago and had a co-worker who krazy glued a big ol' sign with large letters: "(NAME)'s CHAIR - DO NOT TOUCH". It worked. No one touched her chair.
    via u/R_meowwy_welcome
  • 21
    mercurygreen ...sometimes being an AH is the correct response. Also, your boss is now out TWO workers.
    via u/mercurygreen
  • 22
    PaleCommission150 The failure lay at the feet of the owner of the company. By shrugging off any responsibility to handle the situation he
    via u/PaleCommission150
  • 23
    opened the door for escalation to the point at which law enforcement needed to be involved. IMO the owner failed in his job duty to intervene in
    via u/PaleCommission150
  • 24
    legitimate issues between employees. This could have been handled w/o LEO getting involved. 1800 is considered
    via u/PaleCommission150
  • 25
    felony theft. So you are not the AO...the owner of the company is. As someone else
    via u/PaleCommission150
  • 26
    said...maybe get a lawyer for unlawful firing...I would at least consult a lawyer and see what possible restitution is. If it is
    via u/PaleCommission150
  • 27
    going back to work for hte company w/o and financial damages it might not be worth it to go to court over. If it is a right to work state they will eventually find something to fire you over.
    via u/PaleCommission150
  • 28
    NTA bmyst70 The fact is the guy shouldn't have been effectively stealing your $1,800 chair. And as others said, sue your company for retaliatory firing.
    via u/bmyst70
  • 29
    If he lost his ability to work in the industry, that's 100% because of his actions.
    via u/bmyst70

Tags

terrible coworkers cops chair corporate Professional At Work work coworkers petty revenge relationships sales workplace boundaries girlboss police
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