Hi All,

I am a manager in fashion retail shop . My assisiatnt manager was stealing customer credit c details to shop on line and getting delivered to our store without my knowledge .

29th Dec , I worn my assistant manager uniform jacket by mistake, I felt some bulky stuff in his pocket when pulled it out they were credit card nos written in his own hand writting , I was shoked but not surprise Because I always had suspicion he was upto some thing . I already noticed there were few parcel deliveries on my holidays and days off .After asking other staff ,

I established this delivery business is some thing related to these c numbers.

I knew already he has a few aquitances in H.O and even area manager wont help me(for reasons)

I contacted one of the director and asked for meeting and on the same day his friend phoned in store and asked culprit home telephone number from one of my staff . I presented all evidences to director and requested full investaigation and possibly his suspension .

Next day when I came back to work he( asst manager) said to me that he knew I was in h..o. I was not surprised again because someone his (friend) saw me with director in H.O.

I asked him (asst man) if you know I was in h.o . you must know then why I was there . He lost in thoughts then I asked him you want to tell me any thing before I contact police , he admitted his fraud to me . I called HR manager to come around early who suppose to have a meeting on same day with me arranged by director for investigation, HR manager is also friend of assistant manger Prior to see culprit , HR manager and myself had brief meeting outside store and then went to see culprit who admitted his offence and resigned .

HR manager and culprit's friend who is training manager are very close freinds and they both work together , This makes me more worry about reprisal .

My Company recently decided to close the store which is anticipated.I was asst manager in my previous employment 4 year ago before I started with this company where my manager made a technical error and we both lost jobs

One day HR manager ranged me and deplomatically asked about my previous employment which never had been a problem before .

I knew that training manager had been recieving gifts from my asst manager also he is the one who definetly told culprit about my meeting . Hr manager is protecting him now and playing mind games with me ,

Recently I have sent an email to director and asked him to investigate breach of our secrect and confidencial meeting without mentioning any names. To my surprise he sounds a bit concened why I didnt told him before and does'nt seems very happy with my email., He passed on the matter to HR manager to invetigate.

I would like to know where I stand now I have family and dont want to lose job but at the same time can not tolerate dishonest people who can any time take revenge . Your opinions and advise will be appreciated .

I think that the best thing you can do is to make clear detailed notes of everything that has happened so far - and keep them safely at home - not at your workplace.

Also start keeping a diary - at home - and keep it up to date with every incident or conversation.

Be careful about copying any documents because this would be a sackable offence on its own - but on the other hand if you see any useful written information, try to get the date, reference number - and an idea of what the document is about and log it all in your diary.

If you send any more emails then keep copies if you can - or at least log the date and reference number and notes about its content as explained above.

I'm not sure what else you can do at the moment other than keep your head down. Try not to get involved and work hard but make sure that you don't do anything which could give anyone a chance to cause trouble for you.

If things do go bad then come back here for advice - but at least you should have a thorough written record which will help you a great deal if you end up having to go to a tribunal.

I wouldn't let it go any further than a visit to the police stn and ask for a detective. And discuss this situation with them otherwise you may find yourself being accused as an accessory let the police handle it I am sure that keeping quiet about it will foster nothing but contempt against you because as it stands you really are innocent but to allow it to go unreported will make you party to fraud don't dwell on it report it no job is worth being dishonest

Thanks bankfolder and Partick for responding .

I have been making notices as advised by folder and keeping record as much as I can . Two of my staff had given me statements already during my own investigation before I reported to the director , one is about the training manager,s call made to ask for culprit,s home number and second is about culprit ( asst manager) stopping my store supervisor not to tell me about parcels .

Patrick - HR has already reported to the police and he informed me about this which I agreed as I wanted to do this myself.

The other thing worth getting copies of are (if your company has them) the grievance policy, disciplinary policy, whistleblowing policy and data protection policy. Also a copy of the most recent staff handbook. There items could be useful if circumstances develop further and especially if to your detriment!!

Feebee_71

Hi Feebee,

I have managed to get staff handbook which consisted of grievances and disciplinary policies. Don't think they have data protection and whisle blowing policy made aware to any one . If I request them from HR means alerting them .

Thanks for a great tip about detrimental element, I didn't think about it before now I will . I might need help on this area as well .

Hi

Please take whats written in that staff handbook with a pinch of salt so to speak as any policies in their are probably shortened edited version.

You need to write to HR and request copies of the actual documents you require:

1. Whistleblowing Policy and Procedure.

2. Disciplinary and Grievance Policy and Procedure.

3. Data Protection Policy and Procedure.

4. Fraud Policy and Procedure.

Hi,

I was at h.o the other day and come across HR. He mentioned about my complaint to dirctor who asked him to invsetigate. He was saying in very light mood nothing will affect me any more and I dont need to worry . Also he mentioned police has not provided him any crime reference about the incident and he is disappionted with this. Seems like things are very calm .

Hi sumer

Thanks for the update let us know is anything else happens or if you need further advice.

Hi again,

I am back again for your help. This time is about my detriment .

shop was closed down within 2 weeks of my reporting the crime .

Hi guys again

please give your suggestions or advice if possible

My gut feel is that 14 miles is reasonable; and that your stress may be clouding your judgement on the other issues. Do you think that is possible?

If you want to resign you can at any time; what is stopping you doing that?

If you need to work a fresh start at the new location may be the very thing? I perosnally would not put someone suffering from stress into a store with problems. In a well performing store you do have an opportunity to settle back in?

Thanks emmz for your reply

Resignation that's what i was thinking . Having said that and being whistle blower should I do prep for tribunal .

I'm not sure this counts as whistle blowing in the true sense - you were not so much protecting the public interest as reporting a crime. I would think very carefully as I am not sure you have a cast iron case. The change of job is probably enough to appear like a reasonable employer to a court.

Again, you need to exhaust internal procedures. I think you either have to accept things and go to the new store; raise a grievance; or resign knowing that you will probably leave with nothing.

I am very sorry. This is the last thing you need while feeling stressed!

Thanks again emmz for response .

I guess I was proetcing public interests by reporting some one stealing customers ( public) card details . thats public interest.

Also reportig a criminal offence falls under protected disclosure I have made a complaint to the director about confidetial meeting . As some one told culprit when I went to see the director to report , which is breach of confidetial information.

please clarify if im wrong and advise

Stealing customer credit card numbers is a serious criminal offence and there is no doubt you did the right thing by reporting it. But I do not understand how this relates to your problems at work. You wrote to the director explaining your concerns. The director passed this to HR. What happened next? Did HR investigate? Was the assistant manager sacked? Did anyone inform the police?

You say that your store has been shut down, so obviously they need to move you to a different store. There may be a genuine reason why there is no open vacancy at the store which is 4 miles away. If they closed your store then all the staff at your old store will have to move to a new store. Nearly everyone will want to move to the store which is only 4 miles away. However, I doubt that store is able to accomodate so many new people joining all at once. You say you this all proves you are being victimised, but I don't see it - please explain exactly why you think you are being victimised?

I do not have all the information but my honest first impression is that you facing a lot of stressful and difficult events happening close together. It is possible that they are not related. It is a natural human tendency to link different events together even if there is no connection, so be careful about assuming a conspiracy if you do not have evidence to support that. If you can set up a chat with someone to HR about the store move that might help to ease some of the anxiety.

but I don't think you have suffered a detriment. You've been offered a job at a reasonable distance. You've reported the crime and seem to expect instant results - these things can take months!

I mean, you can resign and see how it goes, but your employer looks to have taken reasonable steps to me.

thanks emmz for response and steam for jioning.

answers to steam

I wrote to director about our meeting which culprit made aware of .

it has not been investigated .criminal got sacked,

crime was reported to police.

Just before store closure ,hr manager asked me about my ex employer on phone where my manager made technical error and we both lost job, this never mentioned before . i had been relocated before in this company and never was asked this .I emailed hr mgr to ask reason for asking me this , he did not reply to my question and said we talk soon .that never happened .I feel im being harasssed.

I achieved highest scores in annual appraisal but refused pay rise . even new store has bigger turn over . deteriment

At time of store closure 2 store were available for manager positions one was closer at 4 miles . i was sent to14 miles away against my wishes,

Now I need to know my reporting crime was it protected disclosure ?

I have evidence who told asst mgr abuot my presence at h.o this is what i wantedo get investigated . it has not happened will not happen as informer and hr manger are close friends. my security was put at risk as culprit was aware of my movements .victmisation

Besides their chip n pin system not working correctly . I emailed head of IT dept (cc director) who reffered to extenal team they found system was alterted . this is another whistle blow matter

please feel free to give your opinions and advice