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Original poster

Moral Dilemma: To call police or not to call POlice, that is the question....

27 replies

northerner · 17/10/2006 14:30

This has ahppenned to a friend of mine, not me:

Having some work done in house, order materials from reputable local firm. These are delivered by 3 men. 1 owns the company, 1 is his son and 1 is a casual worker.

They are in house for approx 40 minutes. After they have gone you notice ds's brand new gameboy has gone missing (it was still in box). You ring the company and accuse 1 of them of stealing, saying you are going out and will leave porch open giving them the option to return it. It is returned.

The son of the owner has admitted to stealing it, his Father is mortified and begging not to call police as it will ruin his career as he needs to pass a CRB check every year. Son is very sorry and has never done it before (so he says)

Call the police - yes or no?

OP posts:
Iklboo · 17/10/2006 14:31

I suppose saying "won't call police but knock some money off my bill" would be blackmail/extortion??

EnidVorhees · 17/10/2006 14:32

no

but make it clear you will do so if you hear of anything like this happening again

lulumama · 17/10/2006 14:33

No

he has done the right thing therefore has had some morality and some decentness - yes he did something stupid....but he has returned it....probably got a b**locking from his dad and now realises his career is at stake....

how old is he BTW-

but no...what would be gained...the item has been returned and he didn;t deny it...police would not really do anything imo....

lulumama · 17/10/2006 14:34

yes - would be blackmail!! no financial loss has been suffered by anyone...!

KellyKrueger1978 · 17/10/2006 14:34

I don't think I would since it was returned. I might suggest that they could make it up to ds in some way though.

bootsmonkey · 17/10/2006 14:34

Gut feel is no - it was returned. How old is the son?? I would think his father's wrath would be sufficient punishement, whatever his age...

HRHQueenOfQuotes · 17/10/2006 14:35

ooo that's a really tricky one isn't it. The fact it was returned and someone owned up to it is good - and would probably sway me towards not reporting it. But then you wonder has he stolen before? Would he do it again...and if he did could it ruin his dad's business as well as his own career.

RottenOtter · 17/10/2006 14:37

no dont call police. leave it to them -no harm done for now but make it known that you expect father to discipline the son

HRHQueenOfQuotes · 17/10/2006 14:39

have to confess a large part of me is saying - has he done it before and got away with it?? Will he do it again - and get away with it??

tubismybub · 17/10/2006 14:41

Difficult one, really i find it hard to believe that he hasn't done this before and you said the son was a man so he knew full well what he was doing. How many other customers have had things go missing but didn't feel they could call up the company and accuse them without any proof and as a consequence didn't get their things back? Think it's great that your friend phoned them by the way.

WigWamBam · 17/10/2006 14:43

A large part of me is thinking that as well, QoQ.

I have to say I'd be very tempted to report him to the police. The police checks are there to try and ensure that companies are employing honest people, and if he's stolen then he's not the sort of person most of us would want having access to our homes.

The fact he's the owner's son shouldn't mean he gets away with this - if it were any other member of the staff I would expect it to be dealt with by the police and not just brushed under the carpet.

Heavenis · 17/10/2006 14:45

Wouldn#t ring the police. I'd make them aware that you will not be recommending them to anyone.

tubismybub · 17/10/2006 14:46

Good point wig wam, what's the point of CRB checks if they're not factual and the fact is that a member of this company has stolen from a clients home. The more i think about it the more i definately would call the police.

Original poster
northerner · 17/10/2006 14:51

The son is 24. I know he returned it, but only because it was ovbious it was 1 of the 3 men. He was caught out. The Father and son are fairly wealthy, so money is not an issue here, he didn't steal because he needs money. So he might do it again.

If this goes unreported he will have access to other peoples homes in the future....

OP posts:
LIZS · 17/10/2006 14:51

I guess they now can't prove it though so could it even go on record for a CRB check. Agree that it does make rather a mockery of the system. What does the son do for a career ? Definitely tell them you won't recommend them in future and if they were recommended on from a previous job , I'd also let them know .

Philomena · 17/10/2006 14:56

Suspect owner is talking balls about the CRB check. I can't understand why the CRB check would make any difference to his career if he works for his father.

I work for an organisation where CRB checks are carried out on employees. Our employers are not allowed, by law, to retain copies of the CRB check or keep the original. If a check comes back with convictions listed, it is up to the employer to decide whether or not to continue employing that person.

In this case, the father knows the son is a thief and possibly will continue to employ him. He can carry on doing a CRB check each year but only the father will see it - so pretty pointless. The father, I'm assuming, is the one who requires the check to be carried out and will therefore make the decision about suitability.

I don't know whether the police would do anything but I would certainly tell friends and family not to use this firm.

Original poster
northerner · 17/10/2006 14:59

Yes the police can do something, he can be prosecuted. He has admitted to staeling.

Good point about the CRB check though....

OP posts:
oliveoil · 17/10/2006 15:03

I wouldn't call the police as knowing them they would say that you got the stuff back and shrug their shoulders (and they still have not done anything about dh's work breakin/vandalism from ages ago, grrrrrr)

I think that maybe the son has problems (drugs?) that the father knows about and is trying to sort out. Maybe he has a record.

lulumama · 17/10/2006 15:56

would it be in the public interest to prosecute . i doubt the CPS would think so

he stole, he returned the item....what will be gained by a (tax payers funded ) trial......they can hardly send him to prison???!

think the point about not recommending them and telling people you wouldn;t use them again would do more damage than getting the police involved if you want some sort of reparation for what has happened....

gothicmama · 17/10/2006 16:04

tis strange a local firm (Iassume building ) going to the expense of CRB checks

Piffle · 17/10/2006 16:09

you could always ring or go to see the loca police with a hypothetical what should I do query
I also doubt the CRB check story but you never know...I also doubt that suddenly at the age of 24 he suddenly took something for the 1st time...

saggarmakersbottomknocker · 17/10/2006 16:16

Sorry - I'd report it - what if it were a pensioner's belongings, or someone who was afraid to call the company? He'd get away with it.

Rubbish about the CRB too I think. Why would they go to the expense?

mascaraohara · 17/10/2006 16:23

I wouldn't report it but I would expect some money off.

Probably would have reported it if I hadn't phoned the company and asked for it to be returned first! I think doing that kind of indicates you are going down the informal route of resolving the issue... and he has returned it since you called so don't feel you can really go to the police now.

wakeupandsmellthecoffee · 17/10/2006 18:11

I would ring trading standards .

LIZS · 18/10/2006 14:07

Just coming back to this. Had assumed son was a teenager doing some casual work for dad , not a 24 yr old regular employee Like Piffle's idea of calling hypothetically and also doubt the CRB issue. Still think it may be after the event now though, but perhaps he has done it , and been reported , before so could be warned and it put on record.