just been sacked for theft in retail

blue_monkey_2

I worked in retail for many years. Correct procedure for cash accounting is that when the till is taken first thing it should be checked and counted in front of a manager or cash office staff.

You do your shift and ONLY YOU should be using the till. Shift ends and you take the till and cash up - count it in front of someone and record any loss or gain.

I had to get rid of a few people for theft and the police were ALWAYS involved and we always had to have proof. Always. it could not be 'I think you have' you have to have proof. This could be marked money by a 'shopper' or by CCTV.

We had money going missing for months at one store but because it was on a 'general' till that people hopped on and off, of to hlp out, it could not be pinpointed to anyone - depsite thinking we knew who it was we had no exact proof so had to set that employee up to take the fall. And they did and got done for it. We could not get rid of them before we had this proof.

You most definately have grounds for a tribunal so I would get this going on Monday and speak to ACAS. Correct cashing up procedures have not been followed and the manager could either a) nicked the money himself, b) left the till open so someone took the money, c) let someone else use the till who has made the mistake, d) put the till down and someone stole some money or e) counted the money incorrectly.

I have worked in many stores, often as a manager and you never, ever let an employee finish a shift without cashing up because should money go missing you have no idea who took it. The manager is covering his own a rse, there is no doubt his job would be on the line if he was not following correct cashing up proecdures on a daily basis - and he knows this!!

Good luck.

Sambucus_Nigra

Yes, you need to appeal and you need some good advice behind you. No way should you let this go if you have done nothing wrong.

starrystarry

Anyone else think £180 is an odd amount? Why would anyone steal that exact amount? If you were going to pinch from the till wouldn't you just take the lot? Or at least a lot more than £180?

1984ReturnsForReal_2

blue_monkey wrote: »

I worked in retail for many years. Correct procedure for cash accounting is that when the till is taken first thing it should be checked and counted in front of a manager or cash office staff.

You do your shift and ONLY YOU should be using the till. Shift ends and you take the till and cash up - count it in front of someone and record any loss or gain.

I had to get rid of a few people for theft and the police were ALWAYS involved and we always had to have proof. Always. it could not be 'I think you have' you have to have proof. This could be marked money by a 'shopper' or by CCTV.

We had money going missing for months at one store but because it was on a 'general' till that people hopped on and off, of to hlp out, it could not be pinpointed to anyone - depsite thinking we knew who it was we had no exact proof so had to set that employee up to take the fall. And they did and got done for it. We could not get rid of them before we had this proof.

You most definately have grounds for a tribunal so I would get this going on Monday and speak to ACAS. Correct cashing up procedures have not been followed and the manager could either a) nicked the money himself, b) left the till open so someone took the money, c) let someone else use the till who has made the mistake, d) put the till down and someone stole some money or e) counted the money incorrectly.

I have worked in many stores, often as a manager and you never, ever let an employee finish a shift without cashing up because should money go missing you have no idea who took it. The manager is covering his own a rse, there is no doubt his job would be on the line if he was not following correct cashing up proecdures on a daily basis - and he knows this!!

Good luck.

Whilst I agree with what you say I must add that I frequently see changeovers at the till at high street retailers without money being counted or moved.

They just enter their PINS.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

starrystarry wrote: »

Anyone else think £180 is an odd amount? Why would anyone steal that exact amount? If you were going to pinch from the till wouldn't you just take the lot? Or at least a lot more than £180?

Could of been £200 & £20 up on a till.

At the moment I am thinking it just a bad process & bad maths

starrystarry

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

Could of been £200 & £20 up on a till.

At the moment I am thinking it just a bad process & bad maths

Sounds more likely.

blue_monkey_2

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

Whilst I agree with what you say I must add that I frequently see changeovers at the till at high street retailers without money being counted or moved.

They just enter their PINS.

Yes, that might be the case but there has probably not been money go missing from those tills. Should money go missing from the till at the end of the day then they would have no proof who took the money so would not be able to dismiss these members of staff. Any of them. Nor suspend them.

The staff members involved would be scrutinised - this would mean they would be put onto a till that only they would be using for their shift, it would be cashed up at the end of their shift but it would be done in a way that they would not realise it. What do you think they do? Sack all of them? There are procedures in place for when money goes missing - only the staff probably do not realise it.

And first and foremost, it is the manager who gets it in the backside and it is them that has to sort it out - if they cannot then they are the one who is up on a disciplinary for not following correct procedures. Do you see what might have happened in the case of the OP.

They cannot prove who took that money as it was not counted at the end of her shift. So they cannot sack her for theft unless they have proof on CCTV.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

blue_monkey wrote: »

There are procedures in place for when money goes missing - only the staff probably do not realise it.

The manager probably knows the procedure, didn't do the procedure, incorrectly reported the takings & their only way out was to blame someone else instead of admit it & get the sack themselves or cough up.

milothewestie

blue_monkey wrote: »

Yes, that might be the case but there has probably not been money go missing from those tills. Should money go missing from the till at the end of the day then they would have no proof who took the money so would not be able to dismiss these members of staff. Any of them. Nor suspend them.

The staff members involved would be scrutinised - this would mean they would be put onto a till that only they would be using for their shift, it would be cashed up at the end of their shift but it would be done in a way that they would not realise it. What do you think they do? Sack all of them? There are procedures in place for when money goes missing - only the staff probably do not realise it.

And first and foremost, it is the manager who gets it in the backside and it is them that has to sort it out - if they cannot then they are the one who is up on a disciplinary for not following correct procedures. Do you see what might have happened in the case of the OP.

They cannot prove who took that money as it was not counted at the end of her shift. So they cannot sack her for theft unless they have proof on CCTV.

anyway thanks for your advice its much appreciated,ill keep you up to date with what happens

WhiteHorse

starrystarry wrote: »

Anyone else think £180 is an odd amount? Why would anyone steal that exact amount? If you were going to pinch from the till wouldn't you just take the lot? Or at least a lot more than £180?

Good point.

First off, they thought that some £800 was missing, so that sort of money was obviously there.