How would you react if your employee stole from you?

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

My wife owns a deli shop with traditional butchery. She has a couple of employees to help run it, and last week she hired a girl to help cover with vacations.

A couple of days ago one of her other girls told her she saw the new girl pick up and drink a can of ice tea without paying for it. My wife didn't mind it too much at the time, but today again the girl was leaving with two packets of vitel tonné which she claimed she "forgot" to pay for.

I told my wife that if the shop was mine, this girl wouldn't be coming back. Not even a week in, and she already stole twice, one instance is confirmed. What will happen when she'll be allowed access to the cash register?

My wife is thinking of texting her to not come in on Monday and she will be paid her week of work.

Updates

1 y

I wouldn't keep a thief and a liar which has no respect for her employer and her fellow employees that ask and pay for what they take from the shop.

My wife already gives them for free products they can no longer sell or passed the expire date (but are still good and safe to consume), and gives them a discount on the meats.

Updates

1 y

Today my wife callled this girl to let her know she'll be paid for her week of work but she don't be needed anymore.
Surprisingly enough the girl took it well and said she already knew it would happen.
They didn't talk about the theft, but my wife did ask if she had something to say, but the girl said she had nothing else to say.

[CalmUntilAbused]

OK, now the can of ice tea could probably be considered self-sustenance, and a modest one at that. Though I'd personally always pay for what I ate and drank at my actual part-time job as a shop assistant.

The vitel tonné is a gamechanger, though. I actually had to check it out and it seems like it's quite an extravagant dish, far beyond the realm of self-sustenance. While stealing two packets of it would probably still qualify as petty theft, it still showcases a strong tendency to live off "borrowed riches". The girl is up to no good and even though I probably wouldn't rat her out to the police (especially the Polish police, since I'm sure it would be considered petty theft and she'd get the last laugh as she gets released with a warning at most), she definitely would not be coming back to work.

[CalmUntilAbused]

Oh, I've just noticed the updates. Yup, she's totally not coming back to work.

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

Where we live it's the same, police would ignore such a theft, Vitel tonné can be expensive but packaged one is barely 5€.

For the tea, I think that if she just asked for it my wife would have given it to her without issue, instead of picking it up without saying anything.
And I believe theft is a slippery slope - it starts small, and then gets worse and worse.

[CalmUntilAbused]

And I totally agree with You.

[AviatorTom]

I would talk with her to confirm what is happening and what she says about it. I would then put her on a 2-week probation. If anything wrong happens during those 2 weeks, she will be fired without pay.

[Account]

This is not a popular opinion but I would either turn a blind eye (if the items she stole weren't costly) or I would talk to her about it. I would ask her why she takes away things without asking and that if she needs anything she can ask for it instead of stealing it.
I would ask her stuff regarding her financial situation and if she needs help/if she is struggling etc. I am not strict at all when it forms to such things.

I have never stolen, I would much rather starve, but I can understand why some people do it.

[Account]

When it comes to such things *

[EmmaMary]

@Sun_Kim-Ai

I'm in absolute total agreement with you... Your extremely good natured and generous wife is just too good for her own good... Please do encourage her to send this disgusting, thieving lowlife her cards and any wages/payment due.

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

That's what I am doing, and thankfully she agrees with me on sending the girl away.

[EmmaMary]

@Sun_Kim-Ai

I'm truly delighted to read that common sense has prevailed... Please do give your wife my very best wishes. x

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

I will, thank you!

[EmmaMary]

@Sun_Kim-Ai

You're both very welcome indeed.

[EmmaMary]

Thank you for the MHO.

[PeachyPie93]

I don't know tbh because like I personally wouldn't really care if it was like a drink or a chocolate bar but then it raises the question would they steal from the cash register? And then you usually have to count the register at the end of the night, so could you really trust them.. so I suppose firing them would be the best thing.

[midnightmoon05]

A drink or a chocolate bar? The book will not add up.
Others will do the same.
Lots of companies go down for this exact reason.

[PeachyPie93]

@midnightmoon05 you just right them off but yeah if everyone is doing it, it adds up

[NathanDavis]

because of the nature of my business... I can't afford any of this, so I do a lot of screening before I hire someone, and if I still made the mistake or they were too good to "hide" such thing then I would have to go straight to filing charges plus other measures in the business

for me, it is zero tolerance, below zero tolerance... lol, because it is a business that's based 111% on trust and honesty

[Fireguy17]

they would now have the 2 letters ex in front of the employee.
Also depending on the severity of it probably to police.

[RingOfFire]

I would have fired her after the first thing she stole. What uses it to have an employee that you cannot trust?

[RingOfFire]

I would take the cost of the items she stole out of her final paycheck.

[Staximus]

She's already acting like she owns the place and can do whatever she wants, she would probably steal money if given the chance.

[DishLady]

The door’s to the left….

[Anonymous]

Depends

They return the loss and I'll let them go but won't make a big issue

If they break the business and therefore they've broken me then I'll break them

[OddBeMe]

Miraculously hasn’t happened yet. But certain industries are prone to more stealers. Like prostitution draws most killers.

[FunkyMonkee]

You're fired and I'm taking what you owe me out of your pay!!

[lorenzomichael]

I would have his car towed somewhere really really far, while he was at work. And act like I didn’t know Anything about it.

[shortster]

Immediately fired. No pay for the remainder of the week.

[Agape93]

I'd fire them and press charges.

[OlderAndWiser]

100% agree with you

[Ms_Facesitter]

Fire them and have them pay.

[dustybiker2]

Get cameras.

[exitseven]

cut off a finger.

[jack1924]

Maybe I am part of the reason

[DrPepper12]

Buh bye!

[Ladsin2]

I'd garnish wages.

[CubaPirate]

Badly 😢