My Super Nintendo just got stolen

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

And stealing it right back is just stooping to her level, karmic retribution or not. But I'm not going to let her off the hook until I get all of it back.

No, it's not. Taking your property back isn't stealing at all. She stole your property, you have every right to take it back. Items of great sentimental value are still valuable, even if only valuable to you and its place is with you. So I pretty much back every suggestion that you take your things back, forcefully or otherwise.

Depends on if its a b&e. Either way it would be more fulfilling to confront her directly. Trust me, I've had to do this.

 

[Olas]

2 siblings fighting over a Supernintendo, and you guys are how old?

Sorry, I don't mean to make light of your plight, it just seems funny. It's times like this you look for some sort of leverage you can use to make her give it back. Is there anything she depends on you for?

If not I'd tell family members, and if they don't help you I'd go to the police.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Man up, go to her house and demand to have it back. It's yours, she took it, you want it.

 

[Exius Xavarus]

And stealing it right back is just stooping to her level, karmic retribution or not. But I'm not going to let her off the hook until I get all of it back.

No, it's not. Taking your property back isn't stealing at all. She stole your property, you have every right to take it back. Items of great sentimental value are still valuable, even if only valuable to you and its place is with you. So I pretty much back every suggestion that you take your things back, forcefully or otherwise.

Depends on if its a b&e. Either way it would be more fulfilling to confront her directly. Trust me, I've had to do this.

Err, b&e? Forgive me, I'm not good with acronyms.

I'd be satisfied simply having my stuff back, however it happens. Although for once, I'm in agreement with what Lilani said, earlier in this thread.

 

[BartyMae]

And stealing it right back is just stooping to her level, karmic retribution or not. But I'm not going to let her off the hook until I get all of it back.

No, it's not. Taking your property back isn't stealing at all. She stole your property, you have every right to take it back. Items of great sentimental value are still valuable, even if only valuable to you and its place is with you. So I pretty much back every suggestion that you take your things back, forcefully or otherwise.

Depends on if its a b&e. Either way it would be more fulfilling to confront her directly. Trust me, I've had to do this.

Err, b&e? Forgive me, I'm not good with acronyms.

I'd be satisfied simply having my stuff back, however it happens. Although for once, I'm in agreement with what Lilani said, earlier in this thread.

"Breaking and entering", perhaps? It's my best guess, anyways,

Luckily, I don't have family members who'd steal stuff from me. They might steal OTHER people's stuff, but they know well enough that I'd notice anything being taken, and bad things would likely result.

 

[RicoADF]

Call the police? Family or not, she still stole your property and you have legal right to getting those items back.

Or if that doesn't sit right with you, why not do to her what she did to you and just go into her house and take the stuff back, it's your stuff don't just sit there and leave it be.

I know I should, but my faith in the police goes below zero and into numbers only expressible in scientific notation. It's not like she made off with a load of cash or jewelry, so I doubt they'd care. The local cops are too busy fulfilling ticket quotas or going after homeless people to be of much help when you need them. Last time I called the cops with an emergency, the guy kept me hanging for close to an hour and then gave me this brush-off response like he was shooing the cat out.

She also has two daughters that I only ever get to see whenever she needs someone to fob them off on because she can't be arsed to hire a sitter or get her oldest signed up for school. I don't know if dragging the cops into this is worth the strife it'll cause, especially considering how dead set I've been on rising above the family drama instead of creating more of it.

And stealing it right back is just stooping to her level, karmic retribution or not. But I'm not going to let her off the hook until I get all of it back.

Hate to say it mate but calling the police is the only option, and value is irrelevant (although technically a super nintendo that works is quite valuable). Don't let her walk over you.
Also change the lock on your doors.

EDIT: This is assuming she's come into your house (not living at home) and taken it without permission from your premises). Regardless either way I would suggest you demand it back immediately, it's irreplaceable.

 

[GoaThief]

Do you have contents insurance? I'd put in a claim then get the key from said sibling and say you want nothing to do with her any more.

 

[AWAR]

I'm surprised by the posts advising you to beat her up. I'm more surprised by the amount of people who think calling the police on your sibling is a good idea.
- Hello this is 911
- Yeah my sister stole my video games and she isn't giving them back
-...
First of all it's a bit immoral and immature -why would you waste precious police time on personal matters?- and second I'm 99% sure they won't bother doing anything and rightfully so.

My advice is to grow up and be reasonable.

 

[Dollabillyall]

OP your sister might be on drugs. Confront her at her place of residence and demand your things back. She has no choice in the matter and you will not under any circumstances accept delay.
When you have done this, sit her down and make sure she knows you are her brother and you love her. Then proceed to tell her you are worried she might be on drugs and that you want to help her get herself in a situation where she doesn't have to steal or worse for crackmoney.

 

[Dragonbums]

Call the police? Family or not, she still stole your property and you have legal right to getting those items back.

Or if that doesn't sit right with you, why not do to her what she did to you and just go into her house and take the stuff back, it's your stuff don't just sit there and leave it be.

I know I should, but my faith in the police goes below zero and into numbers only expressible in scientific notation. It's not like she made off with a load of cash or jewelry, so I doubt they'd care. The local cops are too busy fulfilling ticket quotas or going after homeless people to be of much help when you need them. Last time I called the cops with an emergency, the guy kept me hanging for close to an hour and then gave me this brush-off response like he was shooing the cat out.

She also has two daughters that I only ever get to see whenever she needs someone to fob them off on because she can't be arsed to hire a sitter or get her oldest signed up for school. I don't know if dragging the cops into this is worth the strife it'll cause, especially considering how dead set I've been on rising above the family drama instead of creating more of it.

And stealing it right back is just stooping to her level, karmic retribution or not. But I'm not going to let her off the hook until I get all of it back.

You are far too kind man.

This isn't even about the NES thing anymore. You basic scenario is that she intruded into your house, took your things, and left. Possibly to never see again.
I suggest, you simply confront her. Don't give her the benefit of the doubt that she still has your NES. Whether she gives back the console or not, tell her on no uncertain terms that she is not allowed near your stuff, nor in the vicinity of your house, and threaten to drop off all connections with her if she doesn't clean up her act. After that- just leave.
She can cause a stink all she wants. You did it the adult way, by laying down how it's going to be in the most calm way possible.
It must be really hard to not get sucked into drama in a family that is known for it.

 

[Dragonbums]

2 siblings fighting over a Supernintendo, and you guys are how old?

Sorry, I don't mean to make light of your plight, it just seems funny. It's times like this you look for some sort of leverage you can use to make her give it back. Is there anything she depends on you for?

If not I'd tell family members, and if they don't help you I'd go to the police.

This seems to be the final straw of sorts.

In the OP it reads that this isn't the first (and probably won't be the last) time she goes into his place uninvited and "borrows" his stuff.
Even if it wasn't an NES taken, it's pretty clear that this is a serious problem that needs to be addressed.

 

[rob_simple]

OP hasn't replied in a while...I hope he's not actually murdered his sister and got himself arrested.

OT: I feel like calling shenaynays on this whole thing. If a family member took something that belonged to me I would go and get it back straight away, no questions asked; I wouldn't run to the internet to whine to a bunch of strangers.

Also, and this is just the cynic in me, but why do I feel like this is some sort of Fox News plant to show how violent gamers are? They've made up a story about stealing the most coveted game of all time, Earthbound, and true to form at least half the comments here have involved beating up his sister as way of retribution.

 

[BQE]

OP hasn't replied in a while...I hope he's not actually murdered his sister and got himself arrested.

OT: I feel like calling shenaynays on this whole thing. If a family member took something that belonged to me I would go and get it back straight away, no questions asked; I wouldn't run to the internet to whine to a bunch of strangers.

Also, and this is just the cynic in me, but why do I feel like this is some sort of Fox News plant to show how violent gamers are? They've made up a story about stealing the most coveted game of all time, Earthbound, and true to form at least half the comments here have involved beating up his sister as way of retribution.

Perhaps half the commenters think this story is as ridiculous and phony as you point out? Seems like an appropriate conclusion to draw based on what we have in front of us.

 

[J Tyran]

And stealing it right back is just stooping to her level, karmic retribution or not.

Its not really stealing though, its yours and she took it without permission. It would be karmic retribution if you actually stole something of hers, taking your own stuff back isn't.

You definitely want to get your keys back from her though.

 

[rob_simple]

OP hasn't replied in a while...I hope he's not actually murdered his sister and got himself arrested.

OT: I feel like calling shenaynays on this whole thing. If a family member took something that belonged to me I would go and get it back straight away, no questions asked; I wouldn't run to the internet to whine to a bunch of strangers.

Also, and this is just the cynic in me, but why do I feel like this is some sort of Fox News plant to show how violent gamers are? They've made up a story about stealing the most coveted game of all time, Earthbound, and true to form at least half the comments here have involved beating up his sister as way of retribution.

Perhaps half the commenters think this story is as ridiculous and phony as you point out? Seems like an appropriate conclusion to draw based on what we have in front of us.

I guess so, it's just hard to read sarcasm, so it's hard to tell who's taking the piss and who is actually out for blood!

 

[Madman123456]

Move or change the locks. When she asks about that, tell her what would be rather obvious to other People.
This is your stuff, you like to use your stuff whenever you feel like it and you don't want it to be taken away at random times, especially by someone who doesn't return stuff all that often (or at all).
Then ask her how she would act to maintain the ability to play with the SNES whenever she feels like it.


You could threaten to call the police on her just because you see no other way to try and prevent her from taking stuff away whenever she feels like it because anything else isn't met with much success.


It's possible she is covering up her need of money to feed some kind of addiction. Be it drugs, gambling or something else, she does seem to have taken to steal objects that fetch some nice prices on ebay.