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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:
DarlingNikita · 16/12/2019 09:45

I know they do have to investigate I'm just upset about the situation as a whole.
I know, I get it, it's stressful and it's terrible timing; just wanted to give another perspective. I do think you're in a good position.

GrumpyHoonMain · 16/12/2019 09:46

Seems like your workplace systems and policies are so ineffective they can’t prove theft even if you had stolen the money. Your union rep can help you with a defence.

Is your company a bank or building society? If not your finance team can contact the bank where the company holds their accounts for help in setting up processes / controls / systems to guard against cash theft.

Lulualla · 16/12/2019 09:49

Have you been suspended? For a gross misconduct investigation (which theft is) then they'd usually tell you and suspend you on full pay whilst they investigate. If they've kept you in the office then they maybe do agree that you didn't do it.

All you can do is go armed with the truth and try to remind them that he changed his story when he realised it wasnt simply going away.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Crime
glitterfarts · 16/12/2019 09:53

I'd also request to not share an office. Your bank card missing and works cash missing. Same week. I'd not want to leave my handbag in the office with him ever.

FalalalalaloreanFortescue · 16/12/2019 09:55

Let's hope he doesn't have a leg to stand on.

Jumpi · 16/12/2019 10:24

How long have you been there handling cash vs how long has he been there handling cash?

From your posts it sounds like the former outweighs the latter. If that is the case surely they’ll be able to work out that on the balance of probabilities, it’s more likely to be him.

MotherOfLittlePeople · 16/12/2019 10:35

Ring and speak to acas OP and speak to your sister.

Odd that your bank card should go missing around the same time. I'd check CCTV.

BlackCatSleeping · 16/12/2019 10:46

Was anyone else in the office? Do you think he left the cash lying on his desk?

Original poster
Namechange31 · 16/12/2019 11:25

ACAS weren't particularly helpful. Said they didn't really understand what my question was and when I said I was really just looking for advice she said that its complicated because it's an internal procedure. Said I can ask for police involvement but they aren't obliged to go ahead as it is a procedural process not a legal one? I guess I could possibly report it myself if they won't involve them but I'm not sure if there is any point on that as I'm not the victim of the crime?

People are in and out of our office throughout the day so in theory yes someone else could have taken it but he has changed his story to knowing nothing about it. Sense would say that if it disappeared from his desk then he would have reported it missing then and there?

We've both been there almost the same amount of time but I work with finance hardly ever cash though. I deal with invoices, casual payments, internal transfers etc etc.

I haven't been suspended but have been on annual leave. He was in last week and on leave this week also not suspended.

I've just had a message from my job share regarding something the director wants to organise for me in January. I'm taking that as a positive that she's assuming I'll be there still. I'm sitting in tears again, my poor 3 year old must think I'm unhinged 🤦‍♀️

OP posts:
Original poster
Namechange31 · 16/12/2019 11:26

And I've not been able to get in touch with the union rep I need to speak to yet.

OP posts:
NorthernLightss · 16/12/2019 11:29

Have you been asked to use annual leave, or was it already booked before this investigation happened?

Original poster
Namechange31 · 16/12/2019 11:33

It was already arranged. I'm part time and I took it to cover my husband being away down south for his works Christmas party.

OP posts:
NorthernLightss · 16/12/2019 11:42

Do you think you're ruminating because you're off? I would too.
As an outsider, it sounds like if you stick to the facts (don't offer or get drawn into any theories) then you'll be fine. It's just going to take a while. Are you able to concentrate on anything else? If not, getting out of the house may help, or get stuck into some complicated games with your little one. You know, the ones where you're assigned a role and you have to concentrate really hard on the rules otherwise your 3yo will tell you that you're not doing it properly 😂.

Best wishes.

katewhinesalot · 16/12/2019 11:49

I'd say they know it's not you but you are a vital link in their investigation process to prove his guilt.

TwoTwentyGowerRoad · 16/12/2019 12:05

I think the huge question here is if the person you said you handed the money to was expecting it but didn't get it, then they have failed to report that they didn't get it at the time. That is why suspicion should fall on that person rather than you OP.

MalarkeyMouse · 16/12/2019 12:06

I think your director is sending you a subtle message that you'll be OK. Was it really necessary for you to have been booked in for the January meeting now?

Original poster
Namechange31 · 16/12/2019 12:19

I'm 100% overthinking it nothern I have a habit of catastrophising things because if I'm resigned to the worst possible outcome its easier to deal with than if I allow myself to think it'll all be ok and it doesn't pan out that way. I know its not helping but it's not a conscious choice despite me knowing I do it.

The two kids and now me have all been unwell for 1 week+ which has meant being cooped up. I'm day 5 of temp and it's not come down below 38.5 and I feel really crappy.

twotwenty tbh I wasnt really expecting it as just assumed they would pay the restaurant in cash until they came in saying it had to be card payment so neither would he have been.

The Jan thing is a handover between my job share and I as she's leaving. The message was that our director was going to ask her new boss if she could come back for half a day in the new year to do this. I'm increasing my hours and there are certain tasks she does because she's in more that I'd like to go over in a bit more detail with her.

OP posts:
Original poster
Namechange31 · 16/12/2019 12:23

I have also just been told that the paperwork for my hour increase has been sent today... surely this has to be a positive sign?

OP posts:
insanepizza · 16/12/2019 12:30

It is a positive sign!

I don't think your colleague has stolen it (intentionally). If he had I think his original story would have been that he knew nothing about the money as he would have had a strategy to cover his tracks.

I think he has realised he has lost the money / it has gone missing and so to cover himself he's denied it all. It really doesn't look good for him to have changed his story. Nevertheless in not following due process it may not be him that is the untrustworthy one (his morals are clearly skewed though as he hasn't said 'look I remember the money and I overlooked taking it to the cash office and it has gone but I didn't take it' which is what I would have done).

DarlingNikita · 16/12/2019 12:54

I have also just been told that the paperwork for my hour increase has been sent today... surely this has to be a positive sign?
Yes, definitely!

I hope you feel better soon. It doesn't help when you're feeling rotten already!

Winterdaysarehere · 16/12/2019 13:01

Ring the bank. Ask specifically for fraud department.. They can tell you exact times your card was used. I would be turning detective op. Staying in your job may not be a wise move of there is a thief amongst you..
Innocent people don't change their statement imo...

Original poster
Namechange31 · 16/12/2019 16:54

I'm not sure it would help any though considering how unlikely it would be to get access to any CCTV tbh.

OP posts:
Winterdaysarehere · 16/12/2019 18:26

No reason why you can't go and see the bar manager and ask yourself. When my car was pranged in a store car park they let me see cctv footage....
They won't want bad image of customer using stolen card...

BlackCatSleeping · 16/12/2019 18:42

Yes, that’s what I was thinking about the coworker. Maybe he left the money on his desk and forgot about it or assumed someone else had deposited it for him. Otherwise, why not just lie about it from the beginning?

Anyway, it doesn’t really matter. It’s not your mystery to solve. All you can do is tell your point of view.

CrimsonCattery · 16/12/2019 19:56

How horribly stressful :(