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Original poster

Under investigation for theft at work

163 replies

Namechange31 · 12/12/2019 20:36

Name changed for this... Long and short of it is this. I received cash at work to be deposited back in Nov. Gave this cash to a direct report of mine to deposit which is normal practice. Looking back I didnt receive a receipt. This money is now missing.

Direct report when questioned said yes they remembered receiving the cash, thought they had put the receipt on my desk. Said they would look at home.

When questioned more formally the next day stuck with this story and then immediately after the meeting said they thought they were getting mixed up and in fact had never seen this money, didnt deposit it and knew nothing about it.

I've now been called to an investigation meeting regarding this money. They will have also. My job share colleague has also been called as a witness as well potentially 2 other members of staff who came into contact with the money. My invite says I can be accompanied whereas my job shares letter says they are purely being called as a witness.

Basically it comes down to them investigating whether myself or job share are responsible for this missing money.

I've given times, dates and an exact account of what happened informally.

I know categorically 100% I passed this over and it was out of my hands but I cant actually prove it. We share an office so it was done verbally.

I'm devastated that I could potentially lose my job for something I haven't done!! Any advice? I'm not in a union.

OP posts:
BemidjiMinnesota · 14/12/2019 20:15

This must be so worrying for you @Namechange31 but you have a lot of things on your side:

  1. The staff who brought the cash to you originally can verify that he was in the office when they gave it to you. This disputes his evidence that he'd never heard about the money.
  2. IT can get a copy of the cash form from the intranet showing that you intended to pay in the cash on the date you said.
  3. Your direct report originally confirmed you'd given him the cash.

He is the one who looks dodgy as hell. He changed his story and he has no proof to back up his claims.

Just stay calm and stick to the facts. Good luck. Flowers

Keepmewarm · 14/12/2019 20:29

Do you have a log in for the printer?

Hepsibar · 14/12/2019 20:36

The fact he changed his story goes against him and that will have been recorded.

He is fighting for his job and scared stiff.

I agree with those that advise you on wording and sticking to the facts.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Crime
Original poster
Namechange31 · 15/12/2019 10:39

No login for printer but do have to login on the desk top machine. I've written out a whole load of notes with alot of the advice given here. Thank you Flowers

OP posts:
HamptonThought · 15/12/2019 12:12

Why's he saying he will look at home? Why is there even a tiny possibility cash from work would be at home?!

MitziK · 15/12/2019 12:34

It sounds as though (as yes, I could be wrong) that they are trying to cover all bases before reporting him to the police/firing him. If they didn't conduct a full investigation and he's a union member, he'd either hammer them for constructive dismissal or get himself several thousand pounds' silence money and an agreed reference. Which if he's obviously nicked/lost the Christmas Do money, they don't want to do.

You handed the money over, you completed the form - you trusted a colleague to follow the same procedure as had always happened. You even have a paper trail. And he's changed his story. You haven't.

Be calm, be certain of your facts (and your honesty). Whilst he's scrabbling around, trying to find £550 behind the sofa so he can say 'oh look, silly me, I took it home, here it is, all sorted' and then realised 'hang on, I'll still get sacked for that, so I'll have to say I got mixed up and it never got to me in the first place'.

Fireextinguished · 15/12/2019 12:47

I'd definitely insist police involved.

Feelingabitashamed · 15/12/2019 13:56

Did you have any luck with the union, OP? Years ago I asked the union rep for our industry (out of curiosity) whether they would turn someone away in a situation like this who had just joined. They said no, they would help so I don't think that policy is set in stone. Certainly worth asking.

Flowers
MyMajesty · 15/12/2019 14:16

Cash office have no record of it so it never got there.

Is there any chance it did get there but no receipt given, or record made?
(As there's no CCTV to show anything there)

Do contact your Union. Where I used to work, the Union would help even after something had happened.
There's no harm in asking.

Definitely stick to the facts.
Don't be swayed by your colleague 'being confused'. That's his problem.

The company needs to look at its procedure for dealing with cash, also.

Isleepinahedgefund · 15/12/2019 14:58

I used to investigate as a job and people changing story like is always a red flag. Also once they’ve gone on record with two different accounts it’s enough to bring their credibility into doubt.

Let’s try and build up a bit of a circumstantial case.

Do you know if he is strapped for cash?

Is there anything going on in his life that might explain why he would take it?

Would a receipt normally be taken home?

It’s also possible he left it lying around and someone else took it. Did he seem agitated in the days/hours following him being given the cash? I’d be agitated if I thought I’d lost £550 of someone else’s cash. I’d be a lot calmer if I knew where it was all along.

You mentioned that he now says he mixed it up with the last time he had to take money to the cash office - on the occasion he is referring to, did he have to take a similar amount or was it a lot more or a lot less?

How often is he having to go to the cash office? It doesn’t sound from your description like it’s a regular enough occurrence that he would credibly get mixed up.

Sharronkennedy · 15/12/2019 15:00

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster
Namechange31 · 15/12/2019 17:26

I joined the union and will phone them tomorrow to speak to an advisor.

Do you know if he is strapped for cash?

I don't know.

Is there anything going on in his life that might explain why he would take it?

Again I don't know

Would a receipt normally be taken home?

not normally no unless it was done on the way home then I guess it could have been

It’s also possible he left it lying around and someone else took it. Did he seem agitated in the days/hours following him being given the cash? I’d be agitated if I thought I’d lost £550 of someone else’s cash. I’d be a lot calmer if I knew where it was all along.

Not that I can recall. After going over it a million times it is the same week that my bank card went missing and was used fraudulently (contactless) all within close vicinity to where we work on the fri and sat. I can have this verified by my bank as it was logged and refunded. Not saying this is related but one hell of a coincidence.

You mentioned that he now says he mixed it up with the last time he had to take money to the cash office - on the occasion he is referring to, did he have to take a similar amount or was it a lot more or a lot less?

The time that is referred to was to collect cash not deposit, was a month earlier.

How often is he having to go to the cash office?

Not often and rarely to deposit money. Usually to collect.

mymajesty

There is no record of it there and I think their procedures are pretty tight. But he is now saying he didn't go and he was getting mixed up so I doubt it ever got there.

OP posts:
BemidjiMinnesota · 15/12/2019 17:35

After going over it a million times it is the same week that my bank card went missing and was used fraudulently (contactless) all within close vicinity to where we work on the fri and sat. I can have this verified by my bank as it was logged and refunded.

Oh, this is very suspicious. Did your bank provide a CCTV picture of the person using your card?

Original poster
Namechange31 · 15/12/2019 17:46

No, it was used in several places over the two days until I noticed. They said that they handed over the information to the police but because it wasnt a huge amount of money it probably wouldn't come to anything. I wonder if under the circumstances I could ask for whatever police ref number they have and contact them to ask them to push it?

It was my birthday and I was sat in my mums house with my whole family and checked for a payment my mum had sent me and could see someone was having a rare old time. Couple of different pubs, fiveguys etc. I just assumed I had dropped it somewhere by accident or left it in a card machine but now I'm wondering if there is more to it.

OP posts:
PrettyPurse · 15/12/2019 21:19

Hmm... can u contact those places and ask if they have CCTV...

Gather you're not on any SM with him, to see if he "checked in" in any of the places..

Marmablade · 15/12/2019 21:33

There does seem lots of evidence in your favour and if you stick to your story, as he hasn't stuck to his, you'll look better.

MyMajesty · 15/12/2019 21:54

It's worth a try at getting the police to look into it further, as it could be connected.

Isleepinahedgefund · 16/12/2019 08:48

I think he didn't take it, but maybe did leave it unattended and forgot to deposit it, probably because it isn't something he usually does - and is now shitting himself about it because he messed up.

I refuse to believe that he mixed up a time he was collecting cash with a time he was dropping it off - I think him changing his story was an awkward attempt to try and cover his own back.

I think you have to act in a similarly self defensive way. I expect they will be looking for someone to be held accountable - but from what you've said it seems to me that there are inadequate processes in place for the handling of cash - maybe the cash office does things fine once they receive the money, but the issue here is that there is no audit trail so it's "he said she said" as to what journey the cash took.

Original poster
Namechange31 · 16/12/2019 08:55

I've heard back from IT. Basically they cant see document name but can see I print off a spreadsheet at the time I'm saying. The form is an excel document. It's not much but it's something else.

I could ask re CCTV but I don't know the exact times my card was used. I guess my bank might but the chances of these bars/restaurants/shops just handing it over would be pretty slim at best?

OP posts:
NigellaAwesome · 16/12/2019 09:26

You need to tell your employer about the fraudulent use of your bank card and that you believe the two issues may be linked.

It's not for you to chase cctv footage (and under dpa wouldn't be provided anyway) but the police can obtain this as part of an investigation.

Ask your employer to report this issue to the police and for them to link the investigations.

NigellaAwesome · 16/12/2019 09:27

When did your bank card get stolen, and when did this money go missing?

How many weeks / months ago?

MyMajesty · 16/12/2019 09:30

The bank will have exact times your card was used.
The police can check CCTV at businesses.

DarlingNikita · 16/12/2019 09:33

The fact I'm under investigation full stop is what's upset me. From the company's point of view, they have to investigate everyone involved. Try not to take it personally.
You have given a consistent account of what happened and now you have the spreadsheet as extra evidence. He completely changed his story. I'd say you're at an advantage.

Original poster
Namechange31 · 16/12/2019 09:39

The spreadsheet is the wrong time so I suspect something different. Just received the breakdown and it could also have been printed in pdf and a print job for a pdf would match the exact time I have in my head.

This money went missing on the 7th Nov and my bank card went missing on the 7th or 8th of Nov and was used 8th and 9th Nov before I noticed.

I know they do have to investigate I'm just upset about the situation as a whole. Its incredibly stressful on top of a very poorly household. I know there is no ideal time for something like this to happen but I feel like I'm not even excited about christmas because this is hanging over us.

OP posts:
Original poster
Namechange31 · 16/12/2019 09:40

I'm going to give the union a ring now.

OP posts: