He loses things once every week or so and also hates being held responsible for it. He say things like "someone took it away" when it is not the truth - he probably forgot his lunchbag at the lunch area or left his water bottle in class.
This was what my mother believed, too. But in fact I was being bullied by a group of girls who took my lunchbox to the lost and found every day as soon as my back was turned. Like, once, I walked ten feet away and looked back and the gang of them was already picking up my lunchbox and carrying it too the school office. They looked like the "sweet, helpful" girls, but in fact they were doing everything they could to get me in trouble without getting caught themselves.
Fortunately, we moved after about a month of this.
If your system is working for you, that's good, but I caution you against vocally disbelieving your son when he insists that someone is stealing his stuff. Sometimes it really is being taken, in a sneaky way that doesn't leave evidence for Mom.
