Oxford colleges crack down on ‘thieving students’ after dozens of cutlery and cups go missing

Two of Oxford’s oldest colleges have been forced to crack down on thieving students as branded plates and cups have disappeared from college halls.

Balliol College said it will stop using collegiate crested cups and placemats in its student meals as too many are disappearing.

The college hosts formal three-course meals every Tuesday during term time and said a recent evening event was 20 cups short.

Students have been caught using bags and bags to smuggle coveted crockery out of fancy dinners.

And Magdalen College declared an amnesty for crockery but warned students who didn’t return college items that doing so would be treated as theft.

Balliol College said staff had to run around to find extra cups and placemats while they set the tables because so many were going missing

The college hosts formal three-course dinners every Tuesday during term time and said it was still 20 cups short of a single evening

Balliol College students were told the college was “disappointed” that it had to halt emails

College students have long prided themselves on collecting college-brand “stash,” including hoodies, tracksuits, and scarves, but the “incredibly selfish” trend of stealing plates and mugs has gone too far.

An email sent to Balliol students said the thefts caused additional stress for college staff.

“I am very sorry to say that we will no longer be using Balliol Crested mugs or placemats for student meals,” the email read.

“Staff at Hall last night had to ask many students to empty bags and pockets of mugs they had stolen from the table – even when they did, 20 were still stolen.

“The cutlery and crockery we use at Hall has to be paid for, if it’s lost we have to pay to have it replaced. This is money that is then not available for other areas.

“Some of the items are used at all dinners Balliol hosts, not just the Tuesday Hall. The staff don’t count the cups and placemats after dinner – due to the incredibly selfish actions of some of you, they’ll have to start doing that.”

The college is offering its 226-diner dining room for private hire, with prices starting at £64.75 per head for a “truly remarkable dining experience”.

Balliol College dining room. Students stole 20 cups during a formal dinner in a single night, according to an email from the college

In an email, Balliol students were warned to stop taking mugs from formal evening events after 20 were stolen in a single night

Students can eat in the formal halls every day, and many colleges host three-course dinners several times a week

“When a full hall needs to be cleaned up and it’s discovered that there aren’t enough cups or placemats left, the staff have to go around the college and see each pantry to see if they can produce more, and if not, then they have to settle for it that they can.

“It may seem trivial to some of you, but the added stress when we’re dealing with a busy evening is unnecessary and not what the catering staff looking after you all should put up with.

“I am very disappointed that I have to email adults studying at Balliol College to ask them not to steal.”

Students have stolen plates, cups and placemats from formal dinners at Oxford colleges

A formal dinner at Magdalen College, Oxford. The college hosts four formal dinners per week during term time, which cost students around £10 per head

A formal dinner at Magdalen College, Oxford. The college hosts four formal dinners per week during term time, which cost students around £10 per head

Magdalen told students that if they didn’t return the items by Friday, the “fad” of taking plates would be considered theft

Magdalen College said the “fad” for taking the souvenirs had deteriorated and offered students the chance to return the items before March 10.

The college famous for where CS Lewis wrote Narnia hosts four formal dinners a week in addition to Special Formals.

It told the students that any further theft would be taken very seriously.

“After this period, any item of college property found in the possession of a student will be considered theft and treated as such.”

Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk