My “friend” has been stealing from me

Well, I live abroad recently went back home due to a family emergency and I decided to spend my summer holiday here before moving back.

I have this friend I’ve known for like 10 years now. He’s from a financially well off family actually compared to me. He stays with his uncle (mom’s brother) who raised him since his mom passed when he was a baby.

But recently they had a falling out with the uncle and he found himself in a predicament that rendered him homeless and broke. Luckily he’s staying with another family member who is not as rich but can provide food and shelter and other small needs.

I didn’t know he was going through this until one day when I called him to ask about something that’s when he started opening up that he’s struggling. So long story short, we started meeting often just to talk and let out our feelings and frustrations because I was also going through some stuff.

So since he’s broke I would send him gas money, pay for our meals and sometimes he would ask for small change which I would give him. Not that I’m rich just that I understand what he’s going through. But recently I’ve discovered that he has been stealing from me. At first I thought I was paranoid because I would find Money missing from my wallet after meeting him but last Friday I decided to take big notes only and counted them. When I excused myself to go use the bathroom I found like $100 missing. I brought $500 with $100 notes. At first I didn’t confront him since I was more in shock that my suspicion was right. I let it go. Eventually after a few glasses of drinks I excused myself again and I found another $100 missing. Now I confronted him but he flat out denied it. I told him there’s no point refusing it’s only you and I here and you took it. We were the only guests at this restaurant and when I leave for the bathroom he was there at the table.

So after this confrontation I told him I was leaving and we haven’t spoken again since that day. I’m just like after everything you would decide to steal from the only person that is actually there for you? Is it wrong to cut him off at this point I feel like maybe he was just using me to hangout and then steal from me.