Stolen Bottle of Champagne

[NameChangeAndLifeChange]

A bottle of champagne, worth about £70, has been stolen from the office.

Our manager said that if it's not replaced then the four staff members will need to pay for it between us.

I've got an idea who may have taken it but I can't be 100% sure.

I'm simply not prepared to pay for it. Why should I? Everyone else thinks we should!

Apparently I may get a written warning for not contributing (whilst that thief walks free)!!!

Defend yourself until you get the warning, or better - sacked, and enjoy the tribunal. Don’t give him a bloody penny.

Au contraire, the real thief would happily pay up because
a) They'd be quids in - a £70 bottle for £20
b) It assures zero repercussion. Presumably everyone pays up and the matter is closed without any further investigation.

There's zero need to make anybody pay anyway for something received as a gift. If the intention was to catch a thief then a proper investigation should be launched instead of this childish method of collective punishment.

I think I’d really enjoy the tribunal.
Staying and demanding he put his illegal request in writing ( if he hasn’t already ) would give me a fair bit of pleasure.

That isn't what I said though. I know the real thief would be happy with this arrangement. What I meant was I understand (not agree with) the manager thinking this way. I don't subscribe to it myself, it is a very old school military way of dealing with something. As I said, there are much better ways to handle it. I completely agree that nobody needs to pay, however that does not mean that someone who took something that didn't belong to them should be allowed to get away with it.

I doubt that there is any way of reliably catching the perpetrator in this instance.

There is always the possibility that the other three all enjoyed it one evening and left the OP out.

Oh I would absolutely give him enough rope and see what happens...

Act serious - ask for this issue to be addressed in writing, so setting out what has happened and what he suggests should happen next.

Then reply in writing to clarify that he wants you all to pay to replace something that jointly belonged to you all in the first place, and that he has no proof anyone actually stole...

Then tell him 'No'. Sit back and see what happens!

I'd start by asking for his request laid out in writing and the policy in which that's in line with. I know there is none but it might shut him up.

That would be a stupid thing to do.

You'll looks guilty and your employer will make sure word gets around and refuse you a reference.

Why choose that option when you can decide to keep written records and make a case for tribunal and a payoff.

If it's team champagne then everyone should be paying - including him.

Stick by your guns.

Well it would be illogical for the manager to think OP took it if she refused to pay, but I see what you're saying. He's too dim to think rationally.

Also there's so much fuss about the bottle being stolen. But there's no proof that a theft actually occurred!
As you said, others might have drank it.
Someone might have put it away somewhere else.
If just left on a sideboard if might have been knocked off and broken.

Military leaders can do pretty much what they liked. the aim is to instill unquestioning obedience. Not fairness and justice.

Anywhere else, criminal accusations require evidence. There are rules, policies and procedures for dealing with employee theft. He can't just individually decide that a crime occurred and people need punishing

Op just wondering but does the manager also need to contribute (not saying its right or wrong of them to ask) because just thinking how do we know they didn't take it ?

No he doesn't because he thinks it's one of us!!!!!

I didn't say that either. I said he may well think she did it if she walks out of the job. The real thief would certainly point the finger at the person no longer there. It is always the way that the person no longer there to defend themselves gets the blame for everything, even when no potential theft is involved.

And as I said, I do not subscribe to his approach at all.

I'm very strong on principles and in your position I would 100% walk out if necessary (and relish the dramatics!).

Well that boss of yours can piss right off!

But please make sure the others do not end up paying more to cover you as it sounds like that will be the next move!

Maybe he's saying it to push the person who has taken it to return it/replace or in an attempt to get the others to deal with the issue? It's a stupid thing to do though for many reasons. Do the four of you include the person you suspect is the thief?

It's utterly batshit! Assuming everyone is guilty, rather than the default which should be everyone is innocent as there's no fucking proof?! When something went missing from my work the suspicion fell on the cleaners as guess what, the management didn't think their employees were all thieves! If they did why the hell did they employ them?
I bet it was him who drank it, the twat.
Haha.

I would be tempted to ask him if he reported it to the police. I’m suspicious he took it himself and wants another one!

Wait, so if you all chip in to cover the cost of replacing a bottle of champagne that didn't cost the business anything in the first place, where does that money go? Does the boss plan to buy another bottle of champagne which also costs £70 and force you all to drink it?

This is utterly bizarre.

It was a gift for all of you. The consequence of someone nicking it is that you don't get to drink it. Why the need for further consequences? Getting a present from a client shouldn't end up costing you money.

Exactly he took it and wants another one so he’s making you all pay for it.

Who would the money be going to if you all pay for it? If the bottle was a gift to the team then you've all lost out anyway so I don't see who's being recompensed by the team paying for the gift, it's not logical.

Unless the workplace kitchen is some kind of public access space I think the number of possible suspects is somewhat limited

I would imagine there's a defamation if character element to this also if he is accusing people of being criminals on no evidence of any sort.

He needs to be far more careful than he actually is being.

But you might think he took it.
Him being a manager doesn't make it less likely he took it.. what a piss taker your manager is 😒

Yep, me too!!!!!

I would tell him you are taking legal advice instead of quitting. Same shocked pikachu face.