'AITA for exposing my mom, sister and cousin at a family event?' UPDATED 3X

"AITA for exposing my mom, sister and cousin at a family event?"

I 21F live with my mom (56F) and sister 25F. I work part-time and clean houses on my off days to pay for school, rent and other necessities. So my savings are about 12k. My mom and sister have well paying job but can never budget and have bad spending habits.

I recently found out that my safe disguised as a book was missing. I put my money in cash in a safe book in a hide area is because my sister and mother had 2 incidents of taking money from me. I forgave them but I’m not stupid as they will jump at the chance again. So all my money is bent at the right hand corner, I have pics&videos of them bent, numbers of some bills, safe and being bent.

Furthermore, I found it broken open in the garage bin covered/ wrapped in cardboard. My cousin (24F) was over the other day and I said hi to her in the kitchen and she was carrying the same cardboard (it was from a ginger ale box) go to the backyard with my mom and sister outside already.

I just came into the kitchen to wash my hands and go upstairs and shower as I came home from school and was on the bus. I decided to check the wallets of my moms and sisters and there was the bills with the bent corners. I took a pictures and videos. As I came up with a plan to be petty.

The next day, my extended family was at my aunts sitting around and talking. I asked my cousin what she was doing with the cardboard at my moms house with my sister and her. She said she was helping my mom spray paint some frames. (My mom likes to refurbish furniture. I said okay, then I got up to get my bag (with the broken book safe) and grabbed my sisters and mothers wallet.

I came back and dropped the broken book safe in front of my cousin (my sister was close by) I asked her if she knew what this was. She had a surprised look on her face, but said nothing. I then turned to my sister and said you definitely know what this is. By then everyone was watching. Next I showed my family all the pics and videos.

I even open their wallets in front of the family showing my money with the bended corners in it. One pic clearly showed the numbers on those bills the ones in the wallet. My cousins mom my started going off on her daughter for stealing from family. Most were speechless. But my mom, sister, and cousin tried everything to defend themselves.

I then stated I’m being generous by not going to the police right away and giving them a month to return what they owe. Also that I’m moving out. I apologized to my aunt for the trouble. Then I went home and added a lock and chain on my bedroom door. Since then I have spoken to some family members. But some have said I went over board and there were less dramatic ways of doing this. So AITA?

Here's what people had to say to OP:

f_u1 said:

Screw them, get your money back. They treat you like crap.

paulschreiber said:

Put your money in the bank.

Reasonable_Buy_4974 said:

Tell the other stupid family members who are saying you’re the one who went overboard to redirect their comments to the idiots who stole your money. And if they don’t like that then tell them to eff off too.

GovernorSan said:

You already did the less dramatic way, you've confronted them before about stealing from you, and they apologized, but here you are again. Publicly shaming them is the next logical step, an if that doesn't work then involve the police.

jcurlyk said:

Take it from someone else that had family take money. CALL THE POLICE! You won’t see the money back. And you will always be the a$$hole in the family’s eyes now no mater what.

And Beaudaci0us said:

Get a bank account... like right now.

OP later shared this first small update:

1.) I’m getting a savings account and credit card Monday. Also my cousin (the one who’s steals) is read the posts and comments.

Then, she shared this second update:

I do have a bit of update. As when I originally posted it days ago. So my aunt and uncle (cousins parents) did call and apologized for her behaviour and part in it. My cousin wants to make amends publicly in front of the family. But I asked if she can get my money back and tells me how they found the box.

I can hear her in the background as her mom tried to get her on the phone saying why can’t she apologize and get it over. I just told my aunt if she doesn’t want to talk thats fine, but I’m less than a months time she has to return the money or else the police will be involved and she should let my mom and sister know too. I just hanged up after.

And then, she shared this third and final update:

So before I delete, my aunt (the one who had the dinner at her house) gave me the money my mom and sister took as she is giving them extra time to repay her and she wrote up a contract so she can take legal action if needed. She didn’t want me to file a police report as she knows it put stress on me. (Basically she handle it)

My other aunt (cousins mom) contacted me again and said she was selling my cousin iPad, switch plus games and making her work to repay me by the end of the month. I’m currently staying in my friends basement for a few weeks till I find a more permanent situation. My friends parents is giving me a really cheap price, as I would bake cupcakes and cakes for them every so often.