How would you handle the tart thief?

She’s a member of the community. A little odd in the way she relates. She can go off on talking jags and seems unaware she is not really connecting. She’s bipolar and maybe bulimic, too.

She was seen reaching into the bag containing the tart before the dance last week. After the dance, the tart was nowhere to be found. The birthday girl had brought it to help celebrate her birthday after the dance.

So how would you handle this? The ostensible thief has been off her meds for a while. She has no job and is almost homeless. She is trained as a dancer, but does not have a dancer’s body. Her parents recently kicked her out (although she is in her 30s). They have had her put in jail, in the past.

No one really wants to hurt her. There is some anger. She has no health insurance, so no access to care or meds. What different options do you see for dealing with her?