Money stolen

[Whatsupsunshines]

Stealing while employed in a position of trust. A friend has had cash stolen from a carer. Police investigating. I cannot comprehend how an employee looking after vulnerable people could do this.
I can only think this person whom we don’t know who it is has been desperate! Does this make it any better, I was feeling sad that this person whom if caught will loose their job and potentially have a criminal record for taking the chance of stealing money under £1000.
On the flip side they have financially abused my friend whom has not got great amounts of money and I wouldn’t want them to be able to get another job with vunerable people. The whole situation is very sad. Just looking for peoples opinions.

People’s opinions on theft?

You feel sad for a thief?

From my experience most people stealing are not that desperate and don't deserve pity.
Especially stealing from vulnerable people!

I don't know what you're asking here @Whatsupsunshines or what you expect people to say.

Do you really not know what peoples opinions on theives are?

@zipadeedodah everyone has their own opinion that’s why I’m asking. Like I said I’m sorry someone has got themselves into a situation where they think it is ok to do this when it’s really not.

@Whatsupsunshines you are far too nice OP -

I will sound mean but more naive than nice

@Crikeyalmighty im certainly not nieve im trying to fathom out why this person would think it’s ok to do this risking their job and future, is it because of desperation or greed or opportunity.

Some people are just bad people. That’s it.

It’s a really nasty crime - it really destroys the trust of vulnerable people who need care.
Often carers get away with it, especially if they’re family members. Reporting can lead to being outcast from family relationships and accusations of dementia.

When inviting anyone into a home of the vulnerable cameras are a must.
We had them installed years before carers were needed (not hidden...proper cctv type things in eveey room bar bathroom) so we could watch my MIL for trips and falls - we were living with her but at work 0600 to 1900 most days.

They were there when she declined and carers were needed. All the carers were happy with thr cameras. 3 different care companies over 3 years sent carers into our home until we had to move MIL into full time care. All companies had no issue with the cameras and all the carers said it was a positive thing because it protects them as much as the vulnerable person they are attending to.

Now my parents approach frailty and need some help im trying to persuade them.to get them installed.

You can say maybe they needed the money but that doesn't make it any better, it's still theft. For all you know they may have done this before, just small amounts that no ones noticed and now they've got greedy and stolen too much. If it ends their care career that's for the best, you wouldn't want someone like that in your home, would you

From a slightly different perspective, @Whatsupsunshines are you absolutely, 100% certain that there has been theft? I'm sure you are, but I wanted to say that if the elderly person has any form of dementia or Alzheimers, then accusations of theft are a very, very common theme. The older person either puts the cash "somewhere safe" like a box of cereal or inside a sock and forgets they've done this. Or there was no cash or item at all. But their minds tell them that it "must" be there and the only explanation that makes sense is that it was stolen. The accusations are most often levelled at the most attentive and loving relative, friend or carer.

It happened with my late aunt; always cash "going missing" here and there, but it escalated to valuable jewellery. So insistent and convincing were the accusations (against nobody in particular) that my dad helped her to make an insurance claim for the stolen jewellery, which went through. When aunt died years later, and dad was helping to sort out the house, he found the jewellery hidden in aunt's Victorian china dinner service, various pieces in different bowls and tureens. All of it.

I'm not saying this is what has happened here, but f dementia is in the mix and there's no definite proof of theft, it's worth considering.

Best wishes - hope you get to the bottom of it and your friend is OK. x

@Daleksatemyshed this is what I think has happened I think they’ve got greedy, they’ve been very silly to risk everything, no I wouldn’t want them in anyone’s home.

It's terrible to do such things. It just wouldn't enter a decent person's mind to do that.

I hope she no longer keeps cash in the house. Maybe get cameras as well.

I didn’t say you were naive, the poster after me did - I do still think though you are far too nice in being concerned that they were desparate - too many stories like this of ‘desparate ‘ people finding holidays, cars, the desparate person ( employee) who forged cheques ( when they were a thing) on my business account was shoving over £4ks worth of stolen cash up his nose

Apologies for the question, but has the money definitely been taken by the carer- have they admitted it or there’s some proof?

It’s not uncommon for elderly people to accuse people of stealing from them. FIL has accused me of taking everything from his wallet to the tv remote to a bloody radiator.

@Whatsupsunshines I do know what you mean. There was a police officer in the local paper who lost his job after putting through a box of krispy crème donuts through as carrots on the self serve checkouts in Tesco.

Not someone I know but imagine ruining your career over a tenner.

@SockFluffInTheBath circumstances are pointing towards it being a staff member sadly.

That’s terrible, I’m sorry.

There’s absolutely no excuse. If they would steal from a vulnerable person in their own home, they’d steal from anyone. I’m glad you’ve reported it.

Most thefts are thefts of opportunity not desperation. It's there, nobody is looking, nobody will know it was you (you hope) so you take it.

You don't, unfortunately, have to be desperate to think this way, it is depressingly common.

The thief has a job for goodness sake! A trusted position that they have deliberately abused.

I would have them put in stocks in the town centre and pelted with rotten eggs but oh no, you feel sorry for them?!