Do they still do Show and Tells? Cause I def remember this happening to me too. I think if I were a school, I'd nip it in the bud. I am not sure if it's to practice speech giving in a inoffensive way. But things that promote theft among students isn't great. Especially where there are open spaces (like backpacks just hanging out). But I wouldn't know, I haven't been in a setting like that in a long time.

This second bit hurts, because I know it can be like the Wild West in scenarios like this. I think it's because people are disgruntle but have to act is if they have one setting - "Plesant." And it probably increases if there are corporate culture rituals tucked into the workday. I think doing little things like stealing the nice stuff from the office probably is a way to act-up without getting in trouble. But also some people are probably terribly ADHD (and undiagnosed/untreated) and will walk off with things like forks and stuff because they were being total space cadets.

I think you're on the money with the last bit. People would be glueing goofy stuff to things they like all over the place when stuff started going up I think around the 10s (Maybe a little bit earlier bc of 08) so that stuff couldn't be taken without a) being easily recognized and b) being difficult to take in the first place.

Also with the "joy" of toxic-masculinity men wouldn't even dare take something so "fruity" and I know that unfortunately the sentiment is still shared with certain kinds even to this day. You seem to have found the easiest solution, which is dorm-rules =_o!