Employee theft - what would YOU do?

[applej4]

I have kind of a dilemma.

 

A good friend went into a small clothing store and purchased a couple of items (2 blouses). She had cash with her tp pay, and heard the sound of the cash register. She asked for a receipt but was told they didn’t give receipts on sale items. The clerk bagged her items, smiled, and thanked her. She thought it was strange, but took her things and left.

 

When she mentioned it to me, I told her I thought she’d been tricked. This is a scam performed by some store employees – they ring up zero/no sale and pocket the cash later. It’s common if someone is gtting ready to quit or they suspect they’re going to be fired. From what I’ve heard/read, it’s more common in stores that don’t have surveillance cameras.

 

Personally I would have insisted on a receipt. That’s the only way to prove I paid for something.

 

I told her she should find out who the owner is, and call to report what happened. I would not call the store manager, because s/he might be in on the scam. At the very least, they can set up a “decoy” to make a purchase with cash and see what’s going on. She called the main office last Friday, and the receptionist told her the person she needed to talk to was away from his desk and would call her back. Nothing happened, so she called again and was told the appropriate person was off this week because the of holiday. (HUH?)

 

Now friend is telling me that because of the job market she doesn’t want to be responsible for someone losing their job. (WHAT??!! If this is employee theft not only should the person lose their job, they should be arrested/prosecuted. Theft drives up the price of consumer goods.) I have no sympathy for thieves, and you can be sure the person has stolen in the past and will continue stealing.

 

So, I haven’t said anything more to her, but it really irritates me that she is being so flakey about this. Furthermore, the store office should have gotten on this right away, imo. The excuses they gave her are lame.

Thoughts?

[SycamoreCircle]

People suing people over any and everything also drives the price of things up. It has contributed to creating a culture of distrust, surveillance and regulation. Enter, insurance companies and a landscape of pure consumers. But you feel strongly about this, so maybe you should pursue. I'm not sure I understand why you want to make someone else's battle your own. I suspect you do this a lot. Why do you bring anxiety into your life? Learn how to make something. Learn a new hobby. I made pad thai for the first time today. Came out OK. I think my second attempt will be even better. And I look forward to impressing someone I like with my work. Who will benefit from your McGruff crime dog impersonation?

[applej4]

Sheesh. SycamoreCircle, you know nothing about me or my hobbies. Your post is quite silly. No one said anything about suing anybody. You can suspect whatever you want, but it’s clear that you feel theft is okay. Hmmmm. Must be one of your hobbies. (rolling my eyes and shaking my head)

[SycamoreCircle]

You stated that theft drives the cost of things up. My argument is that people suing each other also drives the cost of things up. Ergo, if you're concerned with widespread theft, why not be concerned with the prominence of insurance companies?

[applej4]

SycamoreCircle, it's past your naptime.

[Got it]

OP - unfortunately we have this in my business. We have had customers call our 800 number to alert us, find corporate's number to report it, or contact the store and tell the manager.

 

Even if your friend doesn't want to report it you still can if you know the dates and apprx time of the exchange. I disagree that this shouldn't be reported, theft cost companies millions and we need to know when employees are stealing.

 

Hopefully they will have video to verify and see it for themselves. What the cashier did was wrong and should be terminated for it.

 

Oh, and the market has turned around and it is a candidate's market now. So you can appease your friends concerns on this.

[Methodical]

Corporations have employees that deal with loss prevention, and I can't fathom that person not having a voicemail set up so that a message could be left and dealt with upon returning to work if they are, indeed, on vacation. Something sounds off. Either your friend didn't really make the call and told you she did to get you off her back, or the company has major issues.

[applej4]

Corporations have employees that deal with loss prevention, and I can't fathom that person not having a voicemail set up so that a message could be left and dealt with upon returning to work if they are, indeed, on vacation. Something sounds off. Either your friend didn't really make the call and told you she did to get you off her back, or the company has major issues.

 

Methodical, I think you’re right. Something is definitely “off”. By that I mean I think it’s possible friend didn’t make the call. Like you, I think it’s unlikely the person didn’t call back or there’s not some kind of voice mail. (I’m not going to bug friend or even bring it up again. I’ve decided it’s a lost cause; just wanted to see what others think.)If it were a matter of a rude employee or shoddy service, I could maybe understand not wanting to create a fuss. But theft is another matter, imo, and I have no sympathy for a thief nor could I care less about a thief having trouble finding another job – regardless of the economy.

[SycamoreCircle]

Retaliation is not justice. It is in the spirit of distrust. Distrust breeds distrust. Now you even go so far as to distrust your friend.

 

* * * *

 

Naps are good. Naps bring clarity.

[Tayla]

Inventory Control is primarily accountable for "straying items". Management is responsible for policies and employee ethics. Report it. Turning a blind eye is not the answer.

[Fugu]

If I really cared about the receipt, I'd ask for it - that would be as far as I go with it. I wouldn't feel inclined to report petty theft - that's what accountants are for. It's not that I don't care; it's just that it's not my job to play cop.

 

How do you know that it's the employee who's up to no good? How do you know it's not some unscrupulous owner trying to save some off-the-books income so that he can lower his amount of taxable income at tax time? See, you don't know this stuff. But reporting something could make things awkward between the person being reported and the owner.

 

I'm not saying it's right to let an employee get away with theft - if that's what's happening. But the point is, you really don't know what's happening. You'd be doing it just to play detective. You've got better use of your time, I think.

[loveweary11]

Facts: Store is a boutique. Clerk said they, don't give receipts on sale items."

 

Maybe this is because they are NOT RETURNABLE??

 

Jeez. I'm with Sycamore here. Why are you trying to open an investigation into something that makes complete sense?

 

Also, the most intelligent way to take a bite out of crime here would be to simply call the manager/owner/whatever and ask if they give receipts on sale items. Mystery solved.

 

A lot better than making up stories that could get someone in trouble.

[newmoon]

like some of the other posts i would also say you're being a bit hasty deciding this was a scam. lots of stores do not offer returns on "final sale" items, and i might assume that not issuing a receipt helps them to avoid someone coming back with a final sale item and trying to return it. simple solution: revisit the store when the clerk is there and buy a regular-price item. do you get a receipt? or, call the store - ask if it's their policy to not issue a receipt with a final sale item? there are lots of ways to get some answers without jumping to conclusions

[Clarence_Boddicker]

Maybe the register printer was out of paper & the employee didn't know how or want to change it. If the store policy is no returns on sale items, I'd forget about it. If they can be returned, you could try that & see what happens. You'd have to know the time & date. Yes theft happens, usually by employees who don't care about getting fired.

[Fugu]

Cliff's Notes: stop worrying about it and enjoy some margaritas this weekend.

[OpenBook]

It sounds like you're more upset with your friend for not seeing it exactly the way you do, than you are with the store. If this is the case, why are you trying to control her? It's something that happened to your friend, not you. And she was not harmed in any way. It's her call, not yours, on what (if anything) to do about it. You don't have to be right. Let it go!

[applej4]

Facts: Store is a boutique. Clerk said they, don't give receipts on sale items."Maybe this is because they are NOT RETURNABLE??

loveweary11, you want to talk about facts? Really? The FACT is a receipt is a record of a transaction/payment. Another FACT is I never said store is a boutique. And yet another FACT is that receipts are always given on purchases – whether they are on sale or not. Usually there is a sign in the store “No returns/exchanges on final sale or clearance items”….even if there is not a sign it says so on the receipt. I have several receipt in front of me right now that say “sale” or “final sale” or “clearance”. Another FACT: there is no legitimate reason to refuse to give someone a receipt. And no one is “making up” anything. You need to get the facts straight.So you’re with SycamoreCircle….fine. Then since this thread bothers you and SC so much, move on.

lots of stores do not offer returns on "final sale" items, and i might assume that not issuing a receipt helps them to avoid someone coming back with a final sale item and trying to return it.

newmoon, this was not a return, it was a cash purchase. I don’t know why you’re going on and on about a return. As I already said, there is no legitimate reason to refuse to give a receipt.

Maybe the register printer was out of paper & the employee didn't know how or want to change it. If the store policy is no returns on sale items, I'd forget about it. If they can be returned, you could try that & see what happens.

Once again, I don’t know why you people keep talking abut a return. And what are you talking about when you say “you could try that ahd see what happens” ?? I did not make the purchase. So you’re suggesting I go get the items from my friend and try to return them? Really? Get real.As far as your statement that “Maybe the register printer was out of paper”…..puhleeze. Many times I have seen cashiers refill the paper in the register. It’s a simple process. So you are reeeeeally reaching with the “out-of-paper” excuse. Furthermore, if there was a printer/paper issue, one would think cashier would say so……instead of lying and saying “we don’t give receipts on sale items”.

Some of you people are spending so much energy attacking me and making excuses for the cashier that you’re ignoring the obvious.

 

Hey! Maybe the Receipt Fairy sprinkled some magical gold dust in the cashier and told the cashier not to give a receipt!

Edited May 30, 2015 by applej4

[loveweary11]

Pro Tip:

 

 

If you ask a group of people for advice and very few agree with you, then you get angry at them, you're usually in the wrong.

[carhill]

Generally, as a customer, I don't concern myself with details of a vendor's business practices unless they impact me personally.

 

An example would be a person selling me a piece of equipment for cash where the equipment has registration marks which could possibly identify it as stolen property, since receiving stolen property is a felony in my jurisdiction.

 

In the case of the clothing, I would accept their policy as stated and move on. Cash was tendered, items were received in an arm's length transaction between a customer and agent of the business. However, if I was suspicious, I'd first confirm the policy by seeking to buy another sale item and asking if I could have a receipt, with the interim knowledge of who owns the business and how to contact them. If the agent were different and policy same, less likely to be employee theft. If the second agent offered receipt, then process with owner for them to take a look at things internally.

 

As an example, my best friend had a couple employees making deals for trade-ins and rental units on the side for cash and didn't catch them till a couple hundred grand in equipment had gone out the door. Obviously, this wasn't clothes. A couple of the customers, when contacted, were mortified and offered to return the units without compensation because they knew the criminal penalties for receiving stolen property and had used the units for months after getting 'a really good deal'. Same principle as with the clothing store, if theft, except tens of thousands of dollars per unit versus a couple of bucks. This goes on all the time in the corporate world, sorry to say.

[Tayla]

Pro Tip:

 

 

If you ask a group of people for advice and very few agree with you, then you get angry at them, you're usually in the wrong.

 

i can name many leaders who would disagree with that mindset. Met many a group that thought one way, only to have one person perservere and prove their facts/ opinions incorrect.

 

In business's the receipt does act as evidence of a contractual agreement. When a business is audited The owner would be shooting themselves in the foot if no records were on file .

 

The scenario to report is a business one. Do it if for nothing else to keep the owner/ manager aware of this snafu.

[loveweary11]

i can name many leaders who would disagree with that mindset. Met many a group that thought one way, only to have one person perservere and prove their facts/ opinions incorrect.

 

In business's the receipt does act as evidence of a contractual agreement. When a business is audited The owner would be shooting themselves in the foot if no records were on file .

 

The scenario to report is a business one. Do it if for nothing else to keep the owner/ manager aware of this snafu.

 

Context, my friend, context.

 

This is a petty little personal situation where the rule of thumb I'm referring to applies, not a matter of creativity or business savvy.

 

The register provides the transaction history, not the piece of paper a customer is given.

 

Wow... lol

[Tayla]

Context, my friend, context.

Wow... lol

 

 

My advisal stands valid and correct from a consumer module .

 

Op: - look up consumer law and go from there. here is a brief link:

 

Receipt Complaint | City of New York

[almond]

You seem to care about this a lot, but your friend doesn't. A lot of people wouldn't - a suspected scam that doesn't involve me would rank pretty damn low on my priority list.

 

I don't think it's fair to label your friend as "flaky," since she has called twice upon your insistence and now seems to have more pressing matters to attend to. Loosen up a bit! Not everyone is out to save the world, one-possibly-shifty-employee-at-a-business-that-isn't-yours at a time

 

You seem quite highly strung. Try some yoga and/or wine.

[applej4]

Tayla, I’m very ‘receipt conscious’ so I knew about the information in the link. And…..I’m not going to pursue or even bring up to friend again, but thanks.

 

People can insist on a receipt – even something written on scratch paper is better than nothing.

 

I remember something that happened to me a long time ago. I went into a convenience store in the neighborhood where I lived to get a can of soda. The cashier (who I’d seen before) was ‘checking out” another customer ahead of me and she seemed frustrated. I heard her say “this darn register is broken. I called the manager and the repair person won’t be here for a few hours, so I can’t give receipts.” She made a big production of totaling orders on a small pocket calculator and writing the totals on a piece of paper. People were paying cash and she was putting it into a small bag. My soda was 50 cents (at the time) but something about her demeanor seemed “off”.

 

A few days later I went into the store again to get something. There was a different cashier – who I’d also seen before. I asked if the register had been repaired. The cashier frowned and said there hadn’t been any problem with the register. I told him what had happened, and he rolled his eyes….said the other cashier had been fired for poor attendance/tardiness.

 

Guess she decided to pay herself a hefty bonus before getting canned.

[applej4]

You seem to care about this a lot, but your friend doesn't. A lot of people wouldn't - a suspected scam that doesn't involve me would rank pretty damn low on my priority list.

 

I don't think it's fair to label your friend as "flaky," since she has called twice upon your insistence and now seems to have more pressing matters to attend to. Loosen up a bit! Not everyone is out to save the world, one-possibly-shifty-employee-at-a-business-that-isn't-yours at a time

 

You seem quite highly strung. Try some yoga and/or wine.

 

 

She said she called. I don't know that she did call, and neither do you. Pressing matters....um, yeah, riiiiight. And she is flakey, in many ways. She's one of these people who whines about thing, then when people offer advice/solutions she comes up with excuses why it won't work. (We're not close, and I'm spending less and less time with her.) btw, with your silly yoga comment you seem to be trying to do some world-saving of your own. Good luck with that.

Edited May 30, 2015 by applej4