I accidentally shoplifted - advice needed

[iamsodumb]

NC as this will be outing.

I work in the NHS and there is a shop on the premises which I go to near enough every day Monday-Friday. Today at about 11am I went and bought (?!) my usual packet of crisps and can of Coke. I used the self scanner as I always do and walked out.

This afternoon I got a call from my supervisor saying the big boss wanted to speak to me. When I went to her office she said I hadn't paid for my items and the shop have me on cctv not paying. I was absolutely mortified and checked my online banking and sure enough there's no charge from the shop today so I don't dispute I have done it. I don't know if I've tapped my card and it's not gone through or if I've absent mindedly scanned the items then walked off with them. I genuinely haven't got a clue. She said the shop wanted to escalate it to head office but advised me to go and speak to them myself.

I went to the shop and apologised and offered to pay but the manager had gone home. The shop assistant phoned her manager and he said I was not to pay but was to come and speak to him on Monday?! So instead of this being resolved on the day I have to worry about it over the weekend.

I'm not particularly worried about police involvement etc, I know I didn't mean to do it and have never stolen in my life so can't imagine it would go anywhere. However, I am concerned about work. Could this impact my job?! I asked my own supervisor and she said she doesn't think so but couldn't say for sure. I'm so worried! I can't believe all of this drama for less than £3 which I have offered to pay!!

If anyone has any knowledge I would appreciate any insight you have on what I can expect the outcome of this to be.

Wow, this is quite an over reaction I must say. Hope it gets resolved for you asap .

I think you should go in on Monday and ask to see the manager so that you can pay for the items. It might be that he wants to be sure that they've been paid for?
If he's there to give you a dressing down you should just smile, tell me you've already apologised and paid and consider the matter dealt with.

If it helps, I drive off in my company van from morrisons petrol station some years ago. I filled up at the pump and just drove off! I used to fill up there 2/3 times a week so they knew me- I don't know what came over me! It was only after I left when I went to do my expenses and looked for my receipt that i realised and went back later that day. They hadn't even called the police. They had my Reg and my van was signwritten. The lady on the till laughed and said she was pretty confident Id be back and not to even worry about it.

Try not to worry or let it take up too much of your mind space this weekend. On Monday you can go and pay your £3 and that will be the end of it. X

Have just had a look at my online banking and there's a payment dated today for the shop that wasn't there earlier. Could this be for a contactless payment made previously or would that show the date the payment was made?

Not sure if it's one from earlier in the week as I know contactless payments don't show straight away but would it show today's date or the date the purchase was made?

I would say that's proof that you did pay! I'd definitely take this higher if I were you, due to the stress of being falsely accused.

Can you not tally how many payments you expect to have had go out to them this week? That should help you work out if the last one is a transaction from today.

Check back through your statements to see when your previous transactions show on the statements: the same day you make them or a day/few days later?

If you click on the transaction on your online banking it should come up with more information, such as further information on the shop and the actual date the transaction occurred. This can be the same date as the statement date or slightly different.

Nothing will happen.

Firstly, unless the shop prosecute you, it’s not the concern of your employer.
Secondly, your employer will have to follow policy and procedures.
Thirdly, the shop sells to NhS staff. Imagine if you got sacked over this and everyone found out.... I hope they would go on protest.

Ah damn, I have clicked the payment and it just says contactless payment 12th March but there's one from the 6th as well which would be Saturday and I wasn't at work so it must have been from earlier in the week. How annoying, I was picturing myself walking in and triumphantly showing him I had paid

Op I'm sure all this will be fine. I'd bring someone with you as a witness on Monday if you can. Possibly even your line manager?

Stop worrying and go to bed!!

Are there two dates on your statements? We've had this with supermarket shops where the shop was on x date but the actual withdrawal of the money was a day or so later?
Without you even saying who the shop was, I just knew. They were pains to me when not wanting to use a self service machine in the Southampton hospital branch. I was quite happy in a queue and they made me use the machine. I'd not used them before, messed it up, and just rejoined the queue to pay for my goods. I said I didn't want to use the machine, and apologised for messing the machine up.

I know people telling you to contact you union and HR mean well, but I wouldn’t do that.

You work for one company, the ship is another company, you just happen to share buildings. They have no power to impact you in work. Similarly, your union or HR have no power over the way in which the shop operates its policies.

On Monday, I’d get in there first before the shop manager contacts you (if they have you contact info, not sure if you said they do), speak to the manager in a firm and calm voice, give him the money and reiterate that you made a genuine mistake.
Then I would let him know, in strong terms, that you’re very unhappy about how a long-standing customer has been treated and let him know you won’t darken their door any more.

Then, once that’s done, I’d contact WH Smith HQ and let them know about the stress, embarrassment, and upset that this has caused you.

I went home with the actual scanner from Tesco when I scan as I shopped lol. It was sitting in my car for about a week before I took it back lol

Last week put a massive shop through the scan and shop bit a Tesco's. Chatted to the assistant as there was issues with scanning an item, and then some booze that needed okaying. I then went down the travelator only to realise that I had walked out with nearly £150 of stuff. Of you saw a panicked woman trying to push a full trolley up a travelator as fast as possible (ie as fast as they trundle)!towards the security guard shouting "sorry" that was me!

I think this thread had made you feel a bit better? I’m glad if so! What a palaver over nothing!

Don’t accept a dressing down on Monday, if that’s the intention. It may not be, the manager may be the only person who can correct the toll error and accept the money. I very much hope so anyway!

@WellThisIsShit It has made me feel a lot better, I was really worried earlier and was beating myself up. I'm going to take all the advice here and go in on Monday with my head held high and stand up for myself if necessary.

In contactless transactions where it asks you to put your card in for the pin it will show as a pending transaction where the bank puts a hold on the money until you either put the card and your pin in and the shop requests the money from the bank due to a complete transaction, or if the transaction doesn't complete the hold is taken off and the money goes back into your account.

So no, a pending transaction is not proof of payment.

Good for you!

@Miljea

I'd be going to my union, too.

I'm rather disturbed that they 'went to your manager'. Are they allowed to do that, or is that misuse of privilege?

As above.

They have effectively destroyed your good name without even speaking to you about what must be an obvious mistake - whether it was absentmindedness, or a machine fault, you should - especially as a regular customer - have been given the opportunity to (discreetly) pay what you owed.

[quote iamsodumb]@WellThisIsShit It has made me feel a lot better, I was really worried earlier and was beating myself up. I'm going to take all the advice here and go in on Monday with my head held high and stand up for myself if necessary. [/quote]
The best way to check is call your card provider. Is there anyone who could come with you on Monday? I would have my phone recording in my pocket too for safety. Do not go to a back office, no. It's £3. If he gets aggressive then put 3 pound coins on the till and walk out.
But definitely speak to WHSmith. Would have have done the same to a nurse or a consultant? Does he feel big because you're a domestic?

Bluenightowl
I remember reading about a M&S cafe worker who was sacked for making a coffee or tea for herself while working*
I was shocked at the time. DH debated at the time that it was technically stealing. Imo very few office employees haven't taken an envelope, put a personal letter through the work post system or used the photocopier/email for personal reasons.

This raided me of something that happened donkey's years ago when I worked at a mail order company.

One of the girls had a bra=strap snap (God knows how, but it did). She used the company stapler to put aa couple of staples in it and was seen by someone - and was summoned for a blocking.

She got the same spiel - "Theft is theft" etc. Just stood there silent while the manager went on and on (in a huge, open plan area full of girls the phone etc who could hear a lotto what was going on). When the manager finished she said "I admit it. I'm a member of an international bra-stapling syndicate. You'd better ring Interpol." and just walked back to her desk.

I wish I'd had that sort of sullen, pissed-off confidence at that age (or even now).

*reminded, not raided

*bollocking, bot blocking

As you've now got confusing transactions OP, I'd ring your bank, tell them you've been accused of not paying, and can they check if you have a purchase from yesterday at that shop?

I knew it would be WHSmith - they're crap at customer service and the staff in our hospital one seem to be allergic to the tills so you have to use self scan with no staff in sight while they hide round the back having a chat (you can hear them talking, but not see them)

Unless you go in Monday and the manager apologises for making you wait because they had to be the one to balance the till I'd be the one 'escalating to head office'. He sounds like a twat on a power trip.