Need advise, dealing with a potential thief in the company

[MichaelT]

hi,

Im in a bit of a tricky situation with a guy i employ, he has been accused of stealing 4 times, by 4 different people (not linked in any way) but never actually been able to prove it.

a mobile phone, £20, (£60 from my own van!) and now a designer jacket.

Now I'm not stupid, i know it has been him as he is the only one can possibly have taken them being the situations of only me and him, or my business partner and him as he is an apprentice.

thing is, he is the hardest working, reliable apprentice I've ever met so I'm praying all 4 are just wrong time wrong place for him.... but it clearly isn't.

how would you approach it, and what you do?!!

he has to go as I'm a bag of nerves letting into peoples home representing my business!!

thanks

 

[Ray Stafford]

How long has he been with you?

 

[MichaelT]

8 months and situations have been happening past 4 months

 

[gassafe]

If it's true it's a shame he would risk his apprenticeship & future career by stealing, Being in this sort of trade he would not find another job if he had that reputation!

 

[joni os]

Straight talking. Without directly accusing, state the facts of the four accusations and the suspicion he is under. Depending on his reaction, either give him one more chance or dismiss.
Proof beyond reasonable doubt is unnecessary. It is not criminal law. You have to make a judgement, commercially, on balance of probability, to protect yourself, your customers and your other employees.

 

[plumben]

Tell him straight that you can't have a thief working in your business, you've worked hard for your name not him, ask him why he took the things he did, if he's honest and owns up then you can all ways give him one last chance and keep a very close eye on him, maybe even set up a few potential things for him to take, and if he doesn't own up but your 100% sure he has the tell him where to go

 

[Ray Stafford]

At 8 months, he has no employment rights, so as long as you don't say anything daft in the process, its just a matter of what level of certainty you require before you are comfortable in your own mind to dismiss him.

There are a couple of widely accepted levels of proof.

"Beyond reasonable doubt" is the standard of proof required for a criminal conviction. I'm guessing that you don't have evidence to this standard, otherwise he would have gone by now. But you don't need that standard of proof for an employment matter.

"On the balance of probabilities" is a much lower standard of proof, but is often used in civil, rather than criminal matters. It sounds to me that you believe him guilty to this level of proof, but only you can judge that.

[edit: joni os beat me to it. And he was more concise.]

 

[Stanios]

Before all hell descends here along with calls to send the lad to the gallows I would like to offer my side as someone who just finished a gruelling 4 year apprenticeship.
Yes what he has supposedly done is illegal. Yes its disguisting as any situation where feeding hand is bitten.
However I along with many other apprentices experienced theft from our employers as well. Every time a weeks pay goes amiss I recon thats theft. Every time the statutory sick pay or holiday isnt given to an apprentice is theft. Severely underpaying the apprentice is another form of theft.
Im not claiming any of those things are happening in your company however Im offering a counter argument among soon to come calls to have his hands and other members chopped off 🙂

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Sit all employees down or stand them up in front of you & tell them all there have been thefts reported to you & it's someone in front of you as you've got cctv in your van & they've been recorded. This is the time to approach you in private to sort things out before you go to the police.

Then it's fess up time. If no one talks then speak to this chap individually & see what he says. You need to make out that they're all suspects & not single anyone out at first

It's a difficult one with no hard evidence.

Calling their bluff might work or he might be a cool cucumber

 

[rpm]

Note serial numbers of say a £5 & a £10 note and leave them where he can see them in the van then the trap is set.

 

[Rickster123]

I think if you've got to start setting traps then the trust has gone. And the paranoia of what he's robbing next will drive you insane.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

I agree. Just lay it on the table, you know there's a tea leaf, you know who it is. Their chance to man up. If not, cops.

 

[SimonG]

If it was me he would be down the road. Personally I wouldnt risk my reputation.

 

[rpm]

I think if you've got to start setting traps then the trust has gone. And the paranoia of what he's robbing next will drive you insane.

Agree with you and others with the trust issue but I would want a cast iron no escape situation and therefore no counter claim by a slimy lawyer for unfair dismissal myself, saying that there is probably a "You may not set a trap" clause somewhere in law.

 

[Phil]

He might have a gambling or drug problem to feed. Why else would you steal?

Personally I'd set a trap, if there's a £20 lying around he won't be able to resist it.

 

[rpm]

I agree. Just lay it on the table, you know there's a tea leaf, you know who it is. Their chance to man up. If not, cops.

Don`t think the "Beyond reasonable doubt" has been reached yet myself for the cops to be interested.

 

[rpm]

[QUOTE Personally I'd set a trap, if there's a £20 lying around he won't be able to resist it.[/QUOTE]

Do it the 3rd week in the month if he is paid monthly as he is more likely to be short of cash then.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Agree with you and others with the trust issue but I would want a cast iron no escape situation and therefore no counter claim by a slimy lawyer for unfair dismissal myself, saying that there is probably a "You may not set a trap" clause somewhere in law.

It's called agent provocateur

 

[zzzjim]

Is he disliked by anyone else , " So Hard working " (sadly the newest is 1st to go)
and a " Frame up " is not impossible . Apologies for that seed of doubt !

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Don`t think the "Beyond reasonable doubt" has been reached yet myself for the cops to be interested.

Doesn't need to be beyond reasonable doubt for an investigation to commence