Little sister stealing from work

[mrsdgrohl]

My little sister (18) works in a franchised corner shop, it's a very quiet rural one and she works alone for 6 hours three days a week. She confessed to me last night that she's been struggling for money lately as she's spending all of hers on driving lessons and has been eating/drinking things from the shop with the intention to pay for it all when she had enough. She said it wasn't a massive haul, but the odd chocolate bar here, bottle of coke there, pack of crisps here..

She said she 'realised' yesterday it had been over 4 months and she hadn't paid any of it back. I asked her to estimate and she said probably around £50 worth of stuff at this point, but although she's always planned on paying it back, she hasn't even kept track of everything she's taken she's now crying that she's going to get caught. I went in to see her today and told her to pick up everything she can remember eating or drinking and scan it, she did and I made her pay the £35 for it all and then she put it all back on the shelves.

I don't buy for a second that this is all of it. I think she realised it was getting expensive and said that was all. I've never worked in retail so I have no idea how it works in regards to stock takes etc, is she likely to get pulled up if she hasn't been honest and there is more she's taken and not paid for? I'm furious at her and I've told our mum today who will be punishing her but I don't want her to get caught, she lives in a very small rural village and doesn't want to get marked as a thief. I'm happy to pay for anything else she's taken (she will be paying every penny back) but she's adamant she 'can't remember what else'

Is she likely to get caught for this? Or because it's (apparently) only around £50 or so and she's paid off £35 that anything that is noticed missing at stock take will be written off? I've left her there and told her to walk around shop and look at products try remember if she's had any of them and to write a list and I'll go back in and pay for all that but can guarantee she won't remember it all..

I think the best way is to write a list of everything she can remember taking. Gradually £5 at a time ring these items up pay for them put them back on the shelf. If she gets seen doing this she could just say I am paying for something I had earlier, which is true.

I really hope that is all and she hasn't been underinging and stealing money.

Sounds as if she has learnt her lesson though. Might be worth reminding her that some bigger employees would take this to the police and she would have a criminal record.

She could also ask if it would be ok for her to have a tab too, so she can continue to eat/drink at work If she feels like it.

Hopefully lesson learned and great that she felt able to confide in you.