A rat in the midst...

[nicman72]

Good morning all. Thought I'd share a little story about where I work...
Turns out we have a thief amongst us. About 3 weeks back, I turned up at work to find a bunch of coppers cruising around the smashed front door of the shop where I work , being all CSI and stuff, taking photos, dusting for fingerprints, etc. During the night, someone had busted in and stolen the WHOLE safe! Anyway, we all got interviewed by detectives etc, but no-one was caught, and the company decided to wear it on the chin rather than go through insurance.
Anyway, last Saturday, during the day while 5 of us were working, the NEW safe was emptied. So now it looks like both cases were inside jobs. This time the company is taking it VERY seriously - all of us who worked that day are now under a cloud of suspicion, as well as our partners - we've been getting drilled by detectives etc etc, and the worst thing, all the staff are now looking at each other sideways. Totally destroyed morale, which till then had been really good. On top of that, the manager (at a staff meeting last night) informed us that another store in the chain had suffered continual 'inside' robberies, and they couldn't find the culprit, so they sacked EVERYONE who worked there, manager included, and started again.
I have ALWAYS hated thieves, and although I hope that Karma is real and will catch up with him (or her), their selfishness could very easily cost over a dozen jobs. Filthy hey?
So if you want to whinge about thieves, knock yourselves out - I'll join in too!

Cheers,
Nic

 

[craig.a.c]

Could be the big boss (insurance scam maybe)?!?!?


Had a similar thing happen with my work (security patrols and cash transit). Money from a few places we lock up started to go missing. The boss started grilling everyone that was doing patrols at the time. He even had a go at me about it, told him why would I bother with a few $$ here and there while I sometimes have over $100,000 in the boot of the work car while doing cash transit.

 

[nicman72]

I hear you Craig! What sucks most about this whole debacle is that MY honesty is now being scrutinised, when I have spent my entire life going to great lengths to AVOID this sort of reputation! It's been drilled into me from as far back as I can remember - if it's not mine, then I can't take it. Simple. Thieves are filthy creatures.
As far as it being an insurance claim, the amount taken was paltry in the grand scheme of things, but it could still cost us all our jobs.

 

[craig.a.c]

I hope it all works out for you and who ever is doing it gets caught. I was brought up in the same manner, Treat others they way you wish to be treated (along with belongings).

 

[FAY]

Not very nice eh?
Never think that someone who is the highest paid is decent and honest. They are often the ones with the most debt.......

 

[diamondgal79]

that sucks mate! i hate it when people take what isnt thiers and its not a nice feeling when your under that cloud of doubt.
Hold your head high things will work out.

 

[Just_Joshin]

Has anyone ever heard of a security camera??? Considering the dollars the company has already lost it would be a small price to pay. Pretty hard to dispute video evidence.

 

[nicman72]

Too true Josh. That's a poor decision on the behalf of 'the company', that is now resulting in 'the staff' being blamed. We've even been directed by both management and the police to 'keep an eye' on our fellow colleagues; in other words we're all being encouraged to distrust each other.
I'll tell you now, I'm really hating this filthy situation - I believe in trusting people until they give me a reason not to. Now I'm being asked to distrust people I already trust and respect. There is only one thief, yet we are all being scrutinised.
I actually hope it ISN'T anyone who works there - that it was somehow just some member of the public who managed to do it. But in the meantime, we're all being blamed.

 

[Kersten]

That's a seriously cruddy situation alright. No only having to work with a thief but feeling like you should distrust everyone you're should be able to rely on. Hope they catch the lowlife. Hidden cameras wouldbe the go, but I wouldn't go telling anyone as they're not likely to do it again if they know they're being watched. Since they've caused so much strife and the pressure is on they're just as likely to lie low for a while anyway.

 

[Prinze]

the manager (at a staff meeting last night) informed us that another store in the chain had suffered continual 'inside' robberies, and they couldn't find the culprit, so they sacked EVERYONE who worked there, manager included, and started again.
I have ALWAYS hated thieves, and although I hope that Karma is real and will catch up with him (or her), their selfishness could very easily cost over a dozen jobs. Filthy hey?
So if you want to whinge about thieves, knock yourselves out - I'll join in too!

Cheers,
Nic

If the company fires anyone who hasn't been proved to be responsible for the crime than they are opening the doors for litigation.
If you get fired than sue them for unfair dismissal

 

[craig.a.c]

If the company fires anyone who hasn't been proved to be responsible for the crime than they are opening the doors for litigation.
If you get fired than sue them for unfair dismissal

Could also take them for Defamation (not sure of the spelling).

 

[matt86]

True,

You cannot be summarily dismissed without proof of serious misconduct, or a series of documented minor infractions.

They're just telling you that to scare people into coming forward. It would be on A Current Affair in a heartbeat if they tried to pull that, and you'd easily take them for unfair dismissal.

Sucky situation... just know your rights and stick to them

 

[wranga]

once i worked for a large national tyre retailer that had 3 robberies during business hours. turned out that it was the manager

 

[method]

That Engineers a Spy!

 

[carpetmuncher]

two robberies, maybe two separate thieves.

the second may have seen how little action was taken over the first incident and tried his/her luck.

 

[MrBredli]

The boss should tell all employees to be at work 9am sharp Monday morning as he's arranged for someone to come out and give everyone a polygraph. Whoever doesn't show did it!!

 

[nicman72]

two robberies, maybe two separate thieves.

the second may have seen how little action was taken over the first incident and tried his/her luck.

This was exactly my first thought, as the MO was so different between both incidents (ie. 1st one was a smash and grab, 2nd was a sneaky infiltration). Still, the cops, and more importantly for the staff, the 'company' believe they are linked and it's an inside job.

It would be on A Current Affair in a heartbeat if they tried to pull that, and you'd easily take them for unfair dismissal.

Trust me Matt, I'll be the first one to ring them too! I've been out of work since last Christmas (ended a contract in Melbourne right on the eve of the financial collapse, and all of a sudden, no jobs!), and only managed to pick up this casual job a couple of months ago as a bill-payer. I REALLY can't afford to lose it just yet!

And Wranga, was your case similar insofar as all the staff being suspected? And if so, was there any follow-up, eg apologies from the company?

Thanks for the comments guys - it really is a crappy situation, and I HATE the idea of being suspicious of those I would now call 'friends' at work. I'm still hoping it was Joe Public, and no-one I know...

 

[tsbjd]

When I used to work in the construction industry, there was quite a few people having their work vehicles and / or tools stolen from their houses. After a couple of months they were getting done over again - they had replaced their tools / vehicles etc with new ones, so the theives knew they all had good stuff. As the smash and grab went so well in this instance, whats to say the same didnt happen here?