Been accused of stealing at work, help!

Bismarck

truthseeker wrote: »

Oh dear.

*Goes to sign up to union*

"Only when we have received your signed form do you become a member. Please note that legal representation or advice will only be provided in respect of matters which occur following the commencement of your membership."

oops.

It may be worth joining anyway to show willing...

good luck

Horace

truthseeker wrote: »

Oh dear.

*Goes to sign up to union*

"Only when we have received your signed form do you become a member. Please note that legal representation or advice will only be provided in respect of matters which occur following the commencement of your membership."

Have a friendly chat with the union, if you offer to pay 3 months' subs up front and they backdate the membership form they might well represent you. I say this because this is what I used to do when I was a branch secretary of a union - we weren't supposed to do it but we thought that if we helped out in this way they would tell their non-union mates to join up pronto.

If you havent done anything wrong then you should welcome the investigation. It would appear to me that this is purely an internal investigation and they havent yet brought in the police? If there is an anomaly on your till tell them that you sought advice from your supervisor - in times like this you need to defend yourself and tell the truth don't protect others. It could be that they need to tighten up their training procedures etc.

Good luck.

Bismarck

Horace wrote: »

Have a friendly chat with the union, if you offer to pay 3 months' subs up front and they backdate the membership form they might well represent you. I say this because this is what I used to do when I was a branch secretary of a union - we weren't supposed to do it but we thought that if we helped out in this way they would tell their non-union mates to join up pronto.

agreed...our union did similar things - they're after numbers for their own strength so they can bend the rules if they want, especially if it helps with future recruitment.

ArmchairTycoon

If they are so sure that you are at fault then I would insist that your employer bring in the Police, or perhaps even contact them yourself.

If they do consider you suspect then they should have no problem with this, you don't want something like this hanging over your head, it is better to get it put to rest by the Police, it is also insurance for you against your employer sacking you now or in the future when the dust has settled if you have to raise the matter at an employment tribunal.

Mud sticks, the very suggestion that they consider you a suspect is bad, you may even have grounds for taking them to court for slander or libel if their allegations are unfounded.

Who knows you might have sticky fingered manager who is trying to cover their backside and Police involvement may frighten them to back off.

LuciferTDark

I had the exact same thing happen to me when I worked for a certain supermarket, thinking quickly I said if you seriously believe I've done something like that call in the police & have me arrested otherwise I'll quit right now & sue you for constructive dismissal. I left a month later for a better paying job.

truthseeker_4

Horace wrote: »

Have a friendly chat with the union, if you offer to pay 3 months' subs up front and they backdate the membership form they might well represent you. I say this because this is what I used to do when I was a branch secretary of a union - we weren't supposed to do it but we thought that if we helped out in this way they would tell their non-union mates to join up pronto.

If you havent done anything wrong then you should welcome the investigation. It would appear to me that this is purely an internal investigation and they havent yet brought in the police? If there is an anomaly on your till tell them that you sought advice from your supervisor - in times like this you need to defend yourself and tell the truth don't protect others. It could be that they need to tighten up their training procedures etc.

Good luck.

Cool i will try that with the union, thanks!

As far as I am aware they have not brought in the police yet.

Argh it's hard to know what to do as I have no idea what's going on or what they're planning on doing. I don't want to quit my job as I like it, but I'm worried they will sack me just on suspicion of theft. I don't see how they can get the police in but I reckon they could sack me if I'm the only one they have any "evidence" against? And I really don't want anything like that on my record for future employers. So i would rather quit beforehand and find another job, it's only part-time anyway.

But who knows, maybe the fact I asked a supervisor first is enough for them, maybe they've found something against someone else already...i have no idea.

Incisor

ArmchairTycoon wrote: »

If they are so sure that you are at fault then I would insist that your employer bring in the Police, or perhaps even contact them yourself.

Possibly, even probably, this will backfire in a spectacular way. When the police conduct an investigation, the majority of the effort goes to stitching up anyone they think they can really pin it on, rather than into actually working out what happens. It's worse with target driven policing. So if you are in the frame already, you become extremely vulnerable

pcplum_2

This happened to me years ago in a hotel, 2 of us were suspects, we got the police involved and it turned out to be our manager, he was sacked and prosecuted. As an innocent party welcome every investigation internal and external, co-operate completely and dont be really defensive just give the facts as they stand. Hope you get on ok

timbellina

Incisor wrote: »

Possibly, even probably, this will backfire in a spectacular way. When the police conduct an investigation, the majority of the effort goes to stitching up anyone they think they can really pin it on, rather than into actually working out what happens. It's worse with target driven policing. So if you are in the frame already, you become extremely vulnerable

I completely disagree - something very like this happened to me a few years ago. The company were horrified when I said I was going to report the theft to the police; and tried to drop the matter. I wouldn't let them, (they'd have assumed I was guilty and got rid of me later); and said if they didn't deal with it, I would. The upshot was a police investigation which found nothing; and a letter from the DS in charge saying that there was no evidence that any member of staff had committed any crime. And although I don't work there any more; I'm still involved with that company, and on the best of terms.

NEVER be afraid of being innocent!

And actually, the police have better things to do than stitch up innocent shop workers. Good grief, Incisor - the work involved, it's much easier for them to simply say they found nothing and move on.

Tim

Incisor

timbellina wrote: »

... And actually, the police have better things to do than stitch up innocent shop workers. Good grief, Incisor - the work involved, it's much easier for them to simply say they found nothing and move on.

The best thing the police occupy themselves with is economic behaviour. Their budgets are indirectly dependent upon meeting targets. And if they see an opportunity to record and 'solve' a crime, it looks better for them. I have no doubt that they would do such a thing at the expense of an innocent person, if they get statements from those responsible pointing to the innocent party. Once they are down this track, they won't go and investigate with anyone who the innocent party suggests could exonerate them.

Good grief? Yes, to naively trust in the police.