phone handed in, or not?

[SleepingStandingUp]

Posting for traffic, altho i guess aibu to not know what to do?

lost my phone yesterday, 75% sure in shop C. realised after going in shop A-F. Worked my way backwards and asked in every shop. In C i walked round and looked myself, asked the guy on the till "Bob" and the woman who'd served me "Mandy". Nothing.

Put a post on FB community page in case i'd lost it on the street etc.

Guy messages and says yes, i handed that in at C circa X o-clock to Mandy.

By now shop is closed. I go down at 8 am today. No phone. Mandy isn't in. Mananger calls Mandy, no reply. Manager calls Bob, he says he knows nothing. Manager says i'll call Mandy later and let you know, and I can check CCTV.

What do i do though if Tammy denies all knowledge and mananger says she's checked CCTV? Assume he's a crank who lied? Report it to the police anyway? I don't want to accuse this woman of anything, but similarly i've looked at this guys FB, middle aged man, kids, grandkids, he doesn't seem the sort to be a crank.

And yes, i know i should know better than to lose my phone.

So glad you got it back OP.

surely the answer is to ask for details of it, not to give it to anyone. Tons of phones have biometrics on these days, or say we need you to call it to confirm. What's on the screen saver. what phone is it (altho i've been known to say "black?")

I absolutely could have been a chancer, who'd saw it handed in, done a loop and came back looking flummoxed, but if she'd asked for conformation or said only the mananger can hand it back (tomorrow) it's unlikely i'm going to leap over and steal it or attack her with twins in reins, a primary aged kid and a buggy full of shopping. I'm also always polite, when we'd gone in earlier and i'd made all the kids say thank you (they had kinder eggs) etc so i don't think people look at me and think i'm a rough woman who's going to hurt them whilst my kids watch.

I was only suggesting a potential alternative take on things. And agree that if the phone were on it would be easy to check it actually was yours, but you've already said you couldn't be certain it was there as the battery had died.

No one has implied you would try to steal it or attack the shop worker or that you are rough. What on earth are you on about?

She tried to steal it.

The woman handed it her, she put it in her pocket, took it home, binned the case and removed the identifying sticker.

She only returned it because the manager who called her basically said I can see you take it on cctv, where is it.

I'm so angry.

I was trying to think of reasons she wouldn't just stay ah yes, what type is it and what's the lock code? On MN bus drivers can never tell mother's with buggies to move out the wheelchair space for fear of abuse. I thought you were suggesting similar

OMG! Did they tell you that when you went to pick it up?

Did Mandy get the sack?

Yeah,manager did full disclosure. She's escalated to HO who are coming Monday when Mandy is next in bit I imagine she'll get the sack. It's obvious she hadn't popped it in her pocket to keep it safe

Just how stupid are these people that risk listing their jobs over petty thieving? Madness, utter madness.

I hope she does lose her job and it's a horrible life lesson that crime does not pay.

I once worked in a shop where a staff member was bemoaning how her boyfriend had lost his job and she was £35 short of her rent. Later that day the till was short of you've guessed it.....£35.

The manager lined everyone up who was on that till that day and before he even mentioned anything she blurted out 'Well don't look at me I didn't do it!'.

Instant dismissal.

Yes, some people really would risk their job over petty thieving.

What a silly woman! At least you've got it back OP.

I'd suggest backing up all information and having a code lock on the phone incase you misplace it,

I speak from experience as I'm usually forgetting my phone at times.

I can't see how she could keep her job. She's handling cash and they have proof she stole from a customer. Silly woman.

Exactly. It's a Redmi. New, and unlocked but still, how much second hand?? £50? Compared to regular wages

It has biometric locks on and a numerical lock I'd defy anyone to guess which is some consolation

Civil service by any chance ?

@SleepingStandingUp - I'm glad you got your phone back, but like you, I would be livid. Please keep us updated next week about the potential sacking.

The identifying sticker might be difficult to replace but see if you can get the same case for it again. If you have a photo of your phone in that case that you took with another device, show it to the shop staff as that will strengthen your position further as it will match what was on the CCTV.

Who is Tammy in all this?

me? SAHP

@Merseymum992 Tammy? i think i just got my made up names muddled. Tammy / Mandy / Bad Person

@TrickorTreacle it was just a paper one, something about working hard to met your goals (having a hard time with Uni) so nothing irreplaceable. I actually ordered same style but different colour as i didn't like having the same one. Silly really i know. i don't think there's an issue with the shop believing me, she didn't question the validity of what i said, i charged it in her office and turned it on too.

@SleepingStandingUp - do you have any updates from the shop on what happened to the thief?