Forum: workplace.stackexchange.com
Tags: <unprofessional-behavior>
Title: How to handle/deal with people pranking me at work?
Question: What can I do about people picking on me at work? When asked they reply with:   I only pick on people that I like   This keeps happening to me weekly, and has now progressed to pranks that involve messing with my car.

Answers:
sents: text: If you have asked this person to stop this behavior, in a documented way ( email ) begin doing the following while making sure your supervisor is in the loop.
text: ( You should usually give your supervisor the chance to address an issue before moving on to HR ) Document each occurrence with pictures and dates/times.
text: Make a note of witnesses.
text: After a couple such documented occurrences go to HR with your evidence.
text: This person sounds like the type of person who needs to be either reprimanded so his behavior changes, or fired.
text: This is similar to or could be considered bullying and should not be tolerate d. If the jokes are not well received by the person being pranked and the jokester, then this falls into bullying and typically is not condoned by professional companies.
answer_details: author: workplace.stackexchange.com/users/61096/Neo
score: 6
sents: text: Pranks at work are one thing, but messing with another person's car is not acceptable.
text: I would advise that you speak to your manager immediatly.
text: Explain that the atmosphere is making you uncomfortable and that people have interfered with your vehicle.
text: Insist that the behaviour has to stop.
text: As Mister Positive said, keep a paper trail.
text: If any damage has occured to your vehicle, get it fixed and present the bill to the prankster.
text: Advise your boss that you will be doing this (again, in writing) or, if you are uncomfortable giving the bill to the prankster, give it to your boss.
text: After you flag this to your boss, if anything further happens to your car call the police, file a report for criminal damage (or whatever your local equivalent is).
text: This approach may seem harsh or extreme, but cars are expensive.
text: A simple "prank" could cause thousands of pounds/dollars/bolivars of damage, or potentially have an impact on the safety and roadworthiness of the vehicle.
answer_details: author: workplace.stackexchange.com/users/58082/JohnHC
score: 4
sents: text: Tell your boss that this "picking on" is affecting your work and let him deal with it.
answer_details: author: workplace.stackexchange.com/users/3192/Masked Man
score: 2
sents: text: If people are messing around in the office then I would document everything, and think about contacting HR.
text: If they're messing around with your car I would see HR immediately.
text: A few jokes can be pretty bad but interfering with someones car is a criminal offence.
answer_details: author: workplace.stackexchange.com/users/53342/Tfish
score: 2
sents: text: If they are messing with your property, especially if they are making your car potentially unsafe to drive, you need to go to a manager.
text: Now.
text: Document, in writing, what they've done and when.
text: If you can take pictures, do it.
text: Don't discuss the issue with the bullies.
text: Don't tell them you're going to speak to a manager.
answer_details: author: workplace.stackexchange.com/users/57545/John Feltz
score: 1

Summary of the answers:
You should think about going to HR or your manager and reporting the bullying. You should also document it and make note of any witnesses. You could even go to the police and file a report for criminal damage to your car.
Initially, you may wish to simply ask the bully to stop bothering you. However, if this is now repeated behaviour, you will probably want to report the matter to your boss or your company's HR department so that they can handle the matter correctly. Be sure to keep a record of all details, including photos, and don't discuss the matter with the party in question. If any criminal damage is inflicted, of course, there is the option of reporting the matter to the police or presenting the culprit with a bill for the damage.