I,m not a THIEF!!!!!!!!

93123

Oh come on, it's a plastic container. She put her food in it temporarily while at work. Yes, it would have been common courtesy to ask, but to take it to a meeting and potential sacking? At most she should have just been told not to do it again if it was that valuable (I assume it's gold-plated or a purchasable product she took from the shelf with the intend to deprive the company of profit!)

Good luck OP!

paddedjohn

I think before we all make any more assumptions we need the OP to come back and tell us wether the plastic box was an old container or was it shop stock being offered for sale. If its a lunch box thats been pillfored from stores then bye bye, but if it was an old plastic container thats just kicking around a warehouse waiting to be binned then thats a different matter.

heavensbug

Apologise and give them the money for the plastic container?

If its sellable then just say you forgot to give them the cash.

No theft if its been paid for?

If it was kicking around the warehouse then give it back?

No theft if you "Borrowed it"

Just rude to not ask permission to "Borrow" or make the owner aware you were purchasing it.

If its never left the site then they could discipline for rudeness but thats a slap on the wrist and verbal warning unless its a regular occurance.

Granted there are too many unknown quantities from the OP.

marybelle01

paddedjohn wrote: »

I think before we all make any more assumptions we need the OP to come back and tell us wether the plastic box was an old container or was it shop stock being offered for sale. If its a lunch box thats been pillfored from stores then bye bye, but if it was an old plastic container thats just kicking around a warehouse waiting to be binned then thats a different matter.

True - but if I was concerned about the "safety" of my lunch, I don't think I'd be putting it in an old plastic container that was kicking around the warehouse and might have been used for anything! Ughh, just the thought is repulsive.... Imagine what might have been in there!

dickydonkin

Was this container packaged and part of the stock stored in the warehouse ready for distribution?

If so, did you unseal the box and remove the container rendering that box short of 1 plastic container?

If said tampered box was distributed to a customer and they discovered their consignment has been tampered with and subsequently complain, then you can see where your company is coming from in taking this matter so seriously.

Furthermore, if this stock is 'food grade' packaging, the end user would also be concerned if his stock has been tampered with and would not show their supplier (your company) in a good light.

Hopefully you have a compassionate manager.

marybelle01

It may not just be a matter of compassion. An employer might reasonably take a different view of somebody taking something without permission if they have a ten year unblemished record than they might if it was their tenth week! Or if they have other disciplinaries on their record.

DCFC79

tracye1923 wrote: »

Please can anyone help me with some advice or suggest where to get some legal help?
I was suspended from work on Friday at 2pm and have to return on Monday at 2pm to find out if i'm to be sacked!
Apparently covert cameras are in operation in part of the warehouse that i work in and they have filmed me taking a plastic container. I did admit during Fridays interview that i took it but that it is STILL IN THE BUILDING with my lunch inside! I reported that there was a "fly infestation" acouple of weeks prior and am also aware of rats so decided to take action. I admit that maybe i,ve been stupid but does that make me a thief?!?!:(

Why did you think it would be ok ?
It wasn't your item to do what you want with.

tracye1923

gibson123 wrote: »

If you took stock or some-one else's property for your own use without permission from the owner, then I am afraid you are a thief. Best way forward is to explain the circumstances and that it was the purpose of food hygiene and so that you were not further encouraging vermin. That you intended returning or paying for the item and had had it leave the premises, or you could protest your total innocence and insist that if you are being accused of a criminal act that they involve the police. Good luck.

Many thanks for your reply it was sympathetic and constructive. Greatly appreciated.

tracye1923

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

.

Very Funny, lol.

Im surprised that nobody has said that you deserve to go to prison on this board!.

I would just explain again you borrowed the box as you were concerned about your sandwich being spoilt by pests. I would also get my own box in future.
If your sacked for this it would be very harsh and I would take it further if you been there over a year(or is it 2 now).The workplace shouldnt have infestations of rats etc and they need to be adhering to H and S legislation and addressing the problem properly.
They would probably pay you off as what buisness would want everyone knowing they were infested with flies and rats.!! Not good for buisness!

Appologies for not returning sooner but as you can imagine i've been a tad busy. Of course there was always going to be more detail to my dilema but a just wanted to gauge strangers reactions before i began to contact the neccessary organisations for help! Some of those coments were tough to hear but in amonst them there were pearls of wisdom (and comfort). I can report that i'm receiving legal assistance at present, and am very hopeful of the outcome. To quote one of my responders, "not everything is black and white"!

dickydonkin

marybelle01 wrote: »

It may not just be a matter of compassion. An employer might reasonably take a different view of somebody taking something without permission if they have a ten year unblemished record than they might if it was their tenth week! Or if they have other disciplinaries on their record.

I would have thought that a company has to be consistent in its disciplinary procedures irrespective of time served.

Theft is theft - regardless of what the value of the item that was stolen or how long the 'thief' has worked there.