Are you sure your DH might not have been grabbing some out of it for a morning coffee or something?  I know that teens are probably more likely... but did you ask your DH about it?

I had a decorative cannister where I put my loose change every day. 

DH didn’t have two spare nickels to rub together, but he always managed to come up with 16 quarters to give the SDs lunch money on Wednesday mornings. I always thought it was weird that it was so hard to find quarters in my cannister when I needed them to park downtown. 

And then one day I found him rummaging through my change. He thought I was ridiculous for losing it over $4 a week. I did the math for him for all the school years and gave him the bill. 

Told him that CS should cover lunch money even on the mornings after he had them overnight and he needed to communicate that to BM. He didn’t want to be confrontational with her and I was putting him in the middle. 

It’s a miracle our marriage survived those years. 

Yep, I wouldn’t discount your DH in this, especially if he so easily suggested you use the jar money. 

Stealing seems to be the norm over here as well.  I can't beleive that I actually sleep with my purse in my bedroom.  My parents kept a stash of cash in their room at all times and I would NEVER help myself- ever.  I guess you can't teach having a conscience to some kids.  

Putting aside the stealing, which is unacceptable, I would be disturbed by the fact that one or both of the skids have been going into your bedroom when you're not there and without your permission.  I would install a doorknob with a keyed lock to make sure that doesn't happen.  Your husband has a lot of nerve to suggest that you've taken the money yourself.  It's amazing the lengths parents will go to to "protect" their children when they've done something wrong.

This is part of the reason our bedroom is locked at all times. Thieves rarely change and they lie about it too. 

Wow, I'm not sure how H can even walk with those ginormous balls of his to suggest "maybe you took money out of it and forgot". Really???? I swear if one of my skids ever steals from me, they will feel the wrath of a thousand fiery suns. I have a vacation savings bowl too, tucked up high on a shelf where short skids can't reach. I better keep an eye on it though.

I hope you get to the bottom of it and make sure whoever took it becomes very aware that it will not happen again...

Buy a secret cam and catch the a-hole red handed.  Amazon has cams inside picture frames, and whatnot.

My SD stole a toy from my 11 month old son's room and I LOST it. I was NOT happy with her going into his room let alone taking something that isn't hers. She keeps her room an absolute pigsty and destroys literally everything she owns (i'm talking drawing on furniture, ripping apart pillows, breaking toys purposely, etc.) so we have a rule that she's not allowed in our room or the baby's room. 

I took away priveledges for a week - no TV time, no tablet, nothing. I also gave her a long talk about why we don't steal and how we lose trust. My DH didn't even question me because I was so upset at the thought of her going through his things before he even gets to play with them. I'm trying to teach him how to take care of things and keep his room nice - i don't need her spoiling that for him before he even gets big enough to learn. 

leave any unattended money lying around.  I caught SD night raiding my purse and Chef's wallet when she was the tender age of EIGHT.  Her excuse?  "I thought you were sleeping."

Wow, I would be LIVID!!! I lived with an emotionally damaged, promiscuous pathological liar SD, and my DH and I would say, "She's a liar, but at least she doesn't STEAL." .

And it's ballsy that the thief took nearly ALL of the money.

You 're at a crucial fork in the road, Hon. If you don't go ballistic and teach both your H and his kids that this is unacceptable, you might as well lay down, grab a Sharpie, and write DOORMAT on your forehead.

It works in your favor that your H is out of town. Since you don't know which skid is to blame, punish both AND give your lazy enabling H a taste of of it, too:

•  Remove the doors from each of their rooms. Easy to do, and hide the hinge pins.
• Take some of their treasured possessions - gaming system, laptop, tablet, favorite shoes/hoodie/uniform, etc. Whatever hurts. Hide them offsite.
• Empty the biggest joint account you have. Let DH freak out, and suggest he did it but forgot.
• PUT A LOCKING DOORKNOB ON YOUR BEDROOM DOOR.     

Lace up your bi!ch boots and tell your H that this is how things will be until the criminal fesses up, because he's raising a THIEF.

get one of those small personal safes, stick it in your closet and don't let anyone know the combination.