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  • A story of a thief...

    Mods: I could not figure where this would fit best, please move as you see fit.

    So, this tale comes from my Sister in Law (my hubbys sister)....who works for an Office Supply store in another state, that rhymes with Hoffice Smax.

    She was at work, you know working. Theres some back to school stuff starting so she was busy, as was the rest of the store. She comes at the end of her shift to find her work locker empty...completely empty. Also, the lock that was ON her locker was completely gone, just gone.

    So she gets the manager, who calls the police. Meanwhile, SIL calls her hubby and gets him to activate the "Wheres my Droid" app (its free, look it up and use it in case shit like this happens) she has installed on her phone....it GPS locates the phone at a house about 20 mins away. Her hubby calls the cops and they dispatch a cop who is close to the house. Cop goes to the house that the GPS indicates and finds her phone. . The guy, very uncooperative at first, gives the other guys name that he brought it from earlier that afternoon at a CVS.....interesting thing to note here, that guys name he gave was in the database for being booked for another robbery...at the same damn Hoffice Smax about a month earlier.

    Apparently this guy used to work at the across town Hoffice Smax, but got fired for suspicion of theft. He kept his uniform and apparently was going into this location to steal, and no one would say a word b/c he had a company shirt. I guess they were busy enough that no one either noticed him or cared that he was an unfamiliar face. But this location has absolutely NO security cameras, literally none (the Cops were baffled) and the employee room has no lock and the room is across from the public bathrooms, so anyone can access it. SIL filed a report last night with the other cops who showed up and at least got her phone returned to her

    SIL was in touch with the detectives today. Charges are being pressed on the guy who had her phone, even though he didnt steal it (Possession of Stolen Goods). And when they find the actual thief..well, its curtains.

    SIL has mixed emotions, but she really...she just wants her bag back. She literally had all the following inside: Wallet with credit cards and bank cards, 3 expensive school books, a new camera from mothers day, unactivated season passes to a popular theme park, a check to pay her mortgage and other odds and ends, in addition to her phone. They say people literally have their lives in their bags...she sure as hell did.
    Last edited by Amina516; 08-17-2011, 03:34 AM.

  • #2
    Good heavens, that's awful. Hooray for getting her phone back.

    I know were I in her shoes, I'd be seriously pressuring the store to get security cameras installed, as well as making sure company uniforms are turned in when an employee leaves the company. If nothing else, though, security cameras should be in the locker area to protect employees' personal items (unless, of course, it's an acutal changing room, but I've yet to see a retail locker area that doubled as a changing room).
    "Enough expository banter. It's time we fight like men. And ladies. And ladies who dress like men. For Gilgamesh...IT'S MORPHING TIME!"
    - Gilgamesh, Final Fantasy V

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    • #3
      I'm glad she got her phone back. Maybe that guy will help catch the thief in return for being cut a break? Hopefully there's enough evidence that they could get a warrant or something. Keep us updated, I hope it ends well!
      "If anyone wants this old box containing the broken bits of my former faith in humanity, I'll take your best offer now. You may be able to salvage a few of em' for parts..... " - Quote by Argabarga

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      • #4
        If she hasn't already, she should call her bank(s) and close out her credit and debit cards. She should also consider closing the checking account the mortgage check was written on, because even if she gets the check back, the thief could sell the account information. Years down the road, someone could write bogus checks on her account.

        I hope they track down the schmuck and get your SIL's stuff back.
        "I look at the stars. It's a clear night and the Milky Way seems so near. That's where I'll be going soon. "We are all star stuff." I suddenly remember Delenn's line from Joe's script. Not a bad prospect. I am not afraid. In the meantime, let me close my eyes and sense the beauty around me. And take that breath under the dark sky full of stars. Breathe in. Breathe out. That's all."
        -Mira Furlan

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        • #5
          I don't know what it is about Hoffice Smax that attracts theives... I got my first job in high school there, and got promoted to customer service supervisor in less than a year because I had no qualms about pointing out to my boss which employees were trying to sneak out hard drives in their apron pockets.

          "Oh, you bought it already? From whom? I'm the only cashier working!"

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          • #6
            She was pretty pissed that she went to work the next day and the managers did not give her an incident report. Apparently, Hoffice's insurance will pay for her missing bag contents if theyre not returned within a certain amount of time, but she needs the incident report before that can even be submitted. As it is, she said both managers, who had been there the night before basically ignored her in regards to that...but they did offer her use of the unlocked and unwatched managers office to store her phone in during the shift . (Theyre not allowed to keep it in their pockets on the clock, which is another thread...). She declined and said she would have another employee put it in their locker but she just kept it in her pocket anyways.

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            • #7
              Quoth Raveni View Post

              "Oh, you bought it already? From whom? I'm the only cashier working!"
              LMAO. Sneaky, sneaky.

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              • #8
                I was in Staples once and asked if they had a bathroom...the guy directed me through a stockroom and there wasn't even anyone in back there. I was suprised at that. (Did not appear to be an actual employee break area or lockers back there, though.)
                I don't go in for ancient wisdom
                I don't believe just 'cause ideas are tenacious
                It means that they're worthy - Tim Minchin, "White Wine in the Sun"

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                • #9
                  Ugh. Sucks major eggs, Amina.

                  I had a CW who had her purse stolen from the nurses's breakroom in the ER: lost her cell and $300 cash. The breakroom was unlocked at the time, and away from the nurses stations so any Tom DICK or Harry could get in there unobserved.

                  We pushed for a lock, but never got one
                  They say that God only gives us what we can handle. Apparently, God thinks I'm a bad ass.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Quoth Amina516 View Post
                    the managers did not give her an incident report. Apparently, Hoffice's insurance will pay for her missing bag contents if theyre not returned within a certain amount of time, but she needs the incident report before that can even be submitted. As it is, she said both managers, who had been there the night before basically ignored her in regards to that
                    She needs to take this over their heads. Like, yesterday. Don't let them get away with that.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Quoth Kogarashi View Post
                      I know were I in her shoes, I'd be seriously pressuring the store to get security cameras installed, as well as making sure company uniforms are turned in when an employee leaves the company.
                      It's not always that simple as most organizations (including my mega-chain tax office) charge employees for their uniforms; thus, the uniform is their personal property. I make it a point to question clients about that because uniforms and their cleaning is deductible.
                      Quoth morgana View Post
                      She needs to take this over their heads. Like, yesterday. Don't let them get away with that.
                      Morgana's right about that--the only rationale for withholding that doc would be to prevent the claim from being filed.
                      I'm trying to see things from your point of view, but I can't get my head that far up my keister!

                      Who is John Galt?
                      -Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

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                      • #12
                        In regards to the incident report being withheld, there are two words I'd be looking into right then: Labor board and Lawyer. I agree with TGK, that sounds suspiciously like management trying to keep the claim from being filed, rather than just being lazy jerks.

                        Quoth taxguykarl View Post
                        It's not always that simple as most organizations (including my mega-chain tax office) charge employees for their uniforms; thus, the uniform is their personal property. I make it a point to question clients about that because uniforms and their cleaning is deductible.
                        True, true. Guess I'm still in Walmart-pre-poloshirt mode. I haven't worked there since just before they switched to the employees-must-buy-it dress code, instead of just handing out smocks or vests. I keep forgetting so many stores require the employee to purchase the uniforms.
                        "Enough expository banter. It's time we fight like men. And ladies. And ladies who dress like men. For Gilgamesh...IT'S MORPHING TIME!"
                        - Gilgamesh, Final Fantasy V

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Quoth Amina516 View Post
                          LMAO. Sneaky, sneaky.
                          Yeah, pretty sneaky. There were many months where I got more money from LP rewards for turning in employees than my miniumum wage. Eventually, everyone above me, except for my manager was fired for theft, so I got promoted over all the new hires.

                          Ironically (or maybe not so much), when I checked back in on the store the summer after I started college it turned out that the manager got fired for stealing too.
                          Last edited by Raveni; 07-14-2011, 08:52 PM. Reason: '

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                          • #14
                            When people had things stolen from where I work (this was some years ago), we were told that we "shouldn't leave valuables at work." To which one of my co-workers responded, "EVERYTHING I have is valuable...I paid money for it!"

                            Our desk drawers lock, but the locks are wimpy.
                            When you start at zero, everything's progress.

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                            • #15
                              Sorry for the delay in updates.

                              Apparently, it still took a few more weeks for the managers to get her the forms. But they have since been filled out and shes waiting for money. If it took them so long to give her paper, imagine how long it will take since they have to give her money.

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