“Tomorrow it’s a laptop”: Teacher calls the cops after student steals her Hello Kitty Funko Pop, dividing viewers

A high school teacher and TikToker filed a police report after a student filched a rather valuable Hello Kitty Punk Pop from her desk. She had no idea how much the figurine was worth when she added it to her classroom as part of that year’s theme, but the sentimental value far outweighs the dollar amount lost.

Hello Kitty, Goodbye Kitty

TikToker @_d3thateacher has been making videos about her life as a teacher for quite some time. Six years ago, while working with third graders, one of her students gifted her a Hello Kitty Funko Pop figure, spending their own money just because teacher loved the Japanese character.

She was so touched by the gesture that she kept the figurine in its original box for years, then finally decided to take it out in 2024 and display it on her desk in her new high school classroom as part of a Hello Kitty theme for that year.

@_d3thateacher What should the consequences be for the student who stole my funko pop hello kitty collectible ?🥹 Thank you so much to everybody educating me on the real value of this HELLO KITTY FUNKO POP😳😳 I had no idea! Omg ##FYP##TeacherTok##teacherlife##hellokitty##classroom##hellokittyfunkopop##teachersoftiktok##students ♬ original sound – _d3thateacher

“Six years, I never took it out of the box,” she said in one video. “I just would randomly look at it and admire how pretty it was, and how thankful I was that a student in third grade spent their own money to buy me this.”

Then, one day, the Funko Pop disappeared.

The stunned teacher expressed hurt and disappointment with her students over the theft. Not only did the figurine mean a lot to her, she felt that one of her kids had violated her space.

Still, she offered an opportunity for the thief to return it, no consequences and no questions asked. She was out of the classroom for a few days, but the Funko Pop did not reappear.

@_d3thateacher I really thought that my Hello Kitty Funko pop was going to magically appear back on my desk while I was out.🥹 #FYP #teacherlife #TeacherTok #hellokitty #hellokittyfunkopop #foryoupage #classroom ♬ original sound – _d3thateacher

“I let all my students know to have integrity and just put my Hello Kitty back on my desk while I’m out, and no one would know a thing,” she reported before showing the still-empty box. “It still has not been returned.”

“It is a shame that I can’t feel comfortable, safe in my classroom.”

Should a teacher call the cops on her students?

After waiting and hoping and pleading with her students to return the sentimental item, this teacher finally decided to file a police report on the theft. TikTok commenters helped her reach this point by informing her that the Hello Kitty Funko Pop is worth up to $300 today.

The video in which she announced her intention to involve the cops gained over 14.6 million views.

At first, some commenters suggested that this teacher overreacted to the theft.

“All over this just for a hello Kitty Funko pop like just buy another one,” said @szagirl96.

However, supporters quickly overwhelmed these dismissals with comments encouraging the TikTok teacher to stick to her guns.

“Today it’s the funko pop, tomorrow it’s a laptop,” wrote @brookeholliday20. “These kids need to learn.”

“YESSS!!! FINALLY STANDING ON BUSINESS!!!” @horchata_fresa cheered.

Unfortunately, the American Psychological Association reported in 2022 that long-term consequences like referral to the U.S. justice system do not tend to motivate teens toward better behavior. Criminal acts among youth are strongly associated with childhood trauma that incarceration can exacerbate.

Also unfortunately, many teachers have little to no access to alternatives when their students act out.

The Daily Dot has reached out to @_d3thateacher for comment via TikTok.

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