Suspended pending an disciplinary

[i am stupid]

Hi,

 

 

On Saturday night we had an armed robbery at the store I work at. After the robbers had left I called the police. I went back into the office and there was change all over the floor, the loss prevention officer at my company has seen me picking up £3-4 in change and putting it in my pocket. I admitted to this.

 

 

I have been suspended with full pay until my disciplinary hearing. He said he had called the police and arranged for a meeting on Thursday with them. What is likely to happen now? Should I resign? Am I going to get a criminal record? I've never done anything like this before and my criminal record is currently clean.

 

 

I think I'm the only person who could have two guns pulled on me and lose my job in the same bloody night.

[renegadeimp]

Stop worrying. Suspension on full pay is perfectly normal. They do this so they can investigate fully and without the risk of the accused trying to change evidence where you work.

 

Since it involves a cash armed robbery, of course the police will be involved. You also admitted to putting a few £ in your pocket for whatever reason, so you will be considered a suspect until they have fully investigated and cleared you. remember, before it tags on your record, you have to have been charge, prosecuted and found guilty in court. All through this you can give your side of the story, if it even gets past this simply investigatory period.

 

Sit back, try and relax, and wait for when you are called to the meeting to explain what happened and why you put the money in your pocket. If your story fits in with what is on cctv and various eyewitness accounts/other evidence then theres really nothing to worry about.

 

Again, your store is following established protocol.

[rebel11]

Hi I am stupidso

 

Welcome to CAG

 

Were you captured on CCTV? Clearly it wasn't the correct thing to do, I suppose you could argue that you were 'under stress,in shock and didn't know what you were doing, due to the nature of what had happened. I take it that this is the first time you've encountered an armed robbery? I wonder if you actually knew what to were doing as you were in shock.

 

Your are actually a victim too which you need to emphasis to the company.

 

http://www.agcs.allianz.com/assets/Riskinsights/ARC-RB-8-en%201d.pdf

 

I don't think you should resign, as you don't know what they are going to do.

 

Here's some info:-

[i am stupid]

Well I walked into work today and had the investigation thing. The loss prevention manager said his policy is to call the police no matter how much money it is, even if it is a few quid. I took the money because I relapsed from quitting smoking and wanted to get some cigarettes on the way home (it was a stressful night).

 

 

He called the police at my investigation and said they would be in contact through the post. I've already admitted that I did it to the loss prevention manager, and I'm awaiting the disciplinary meeting with my area manager. There's basically no good reason why I did this, just the reason I mentioned above. I understand that I'm going to lose my job, but how likely is it that I get a criminal record for this? I was planning and saving to go to school in America next year, but with a criminal record I won't even be allowed in the country.

[i am stupid]

rebel11, this is actually my 4th armed robbery at the store it's in a "high-risk" urban area.

[robinsky]

Well I walked into work today and had the investigation thing. The loss prevention manager said his policy is to call the police no matter how much money it is, even if it is a few quid. I took the money because I relapsed from quitting smoking and wanted to get some cigarettes on the way home (it was a stressful night).

 

 

He called the police at my investigation and said they would be in contact through the post. I've already admitted that I did it to the loss prevention manager, and I'm awaiting the disciplinary meeting with my area manager. There's basically no good reason why I did this, just the reason I mentioned above. I understand that I'm going to lose my job, but how likely is it that I get a criminal record for this? I was planning and saving to go to school in America next year, but with a criminal record I won't even be allowed in the country.

 

Hi there,

 

I think you did something stupid in taking the money, if I am being honest. Yes, it was only £3-4, but it would still be classed as theft.

 

Don't know if you would get a criminal record for stealing such a small amount, I don't know how that works, but I do feel for you because you were due to go on holiday.

 

The point about a cigarette relapse shows that you were desperate and perhaps not thinking properly - I mean, under normal circumstances, would you have taken this money?

 

If it were me, you seem an honest person who admitted to the theft, I would have just given the £3-4 back. Sounds like, although theft is obviously serious, a lot more has been made of this. I could understand if it was hundreds of pounds, for example, but a couple of quid?

 

Plead your case and say you will give the money back - the more I think about it, the more daft it seems. I'm under investigation at work myself, so I sympathize with you, fully.

 

Hope it all works out.

 

Regards

Robin

[renegadeimp]

Also, do NOT resign. It would be the absolute worst thing you can do and will look very much like you are guilty.

[robinsky]

Sometimes you have no option, but to resign, which is something I am considering, but I am having a meeting with work hopefully to try and sort out my future - in my circumstances, over something and nothing, in all truth.

 

If it were me, I'd have paid back the £4 as soon as I could - it just seems you were desperate - doesn't make you a bad person. All this over £4 is a bit extreme, imo.

[rebel11]

Hi i am stupid

 

Have you got any dependents who depend on you? That is useful to plead your case.

[renegadeimp]

Trust me. You do not want to resign while under investigation for this. It will seem as if you are guilty to them, and will also be a very bad reference for you.

 

Sit tight and cooperate with them right until their final decision. Sometimes they will give you a choice of what to do. However, chances are that nothing will come of it, as from your info, they just seem to think you had taken the couple of pound. The investigation you are in is purely to see if you had any connection with the armed robbery.

 

If you are genuinely innocent, you would want to fight it until the end. They will know that.

[king12345]

As a relapsed smoker I perfectly understand you.

After having guns on your head, a cig is what you need.

You were shaking and sweating, your mind was blank and subconsciously your brain needed to get back to normal status asap.

Smokers know that this is achieved by having a cigarette and again subconsciously your brain wanted nicotine desperately.

That's why you picked a few coins from the floor.

[robinsky]

Agreed, unless you absolutely have no choice, DO NOT resign. In my case, I feel I have little option if my other ideas don't bear fruit. My case has been going on for three months+ now, over something and nothing.

 

Keep the faith and if the investigation is to do with the armed robbery, how can they connect you with that since you weren't a part of the robbers group? You just did something unwise in the aftermath - over a pittance, you're getting a lot of aggravation for nothing and you were desperate - just don't do it again - we all make mistakes and overall, this is minor. If you got a criminal record for that, it is daft.

 

Offer to refund the £4 and just say you were desperate etc. That's all you need to do and say you made a mistake.

[JoeyJoeC]

I doubt you would get a criminal record for this. The most I would think would be a police record.

[i am stupid]

Thanks for all the help, everyone.

 

 

Rebel, no I don't have any dependents.

 

 

I've pretty much accepted that I have lost my job, all that's worrying me is the police involvement. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what they say when I'm called in for the disciplinary meeting.

 

 

Thanks again, I appreciate the advice.

[renegadeimp]

Why accept youve lost your job? Wait for the outcome of the investigation first, then the disciplinary if it happens. Then IF you are dismissed, you can always appeal it.

[Emmzzi]

I wouldn't sack you for that!!! And I'm the most hard bitten besom on the board!

 

Plead shocked blank mind! Sit tight!

[i am stupid]

It's really relieving to see all this support. I know that I did wrong. It's just that the guy from the loss prevention department (it's an inside part of the company, not an outside contractor), said "my policy is to phone the police no matter how big or small the amount is", I asked him if I was going to lose my job and he said that decision wasn't down to him, it was down to the area manager who would contact me by post with an appointment for a disciplinary hearing.

 

 

I've been looking for a new job since the robbery (before all this came about today), and my friend's sister has said there's a place where she works that's looking for someone. What would you recommend in regards to this? If I'm offered the job I was considering calling the area manager and resigning, but I'm not sure if that would be the best thing to do or not. I've already pleaded guilty so I don't see what harm it could do either, except save my current company some money from paying me while I'm suspended.

[renegadeimp]

Ignore the LPO. Your company has the final say. The LPO is simply covering his back. It's up to you what you do from here, but resigning would be a very big mistake at this time. You could wait for the outcome, and when you keep your job, sit down with HR, explain what is going on in your mind, and tell them that you simply cannot do this anymore as its the 4th armed robbery and you fear for your safety. Therefore you are giving your resignation. That would look MUCH better.

[Emmzzi]

no difference in references between "resigned under investigation for theft" and "dismissed for theft".

 

Sit tight!

[Werewolf]

My heart goes out to you mate. Three hold-ups at gunpoint? Awful. You could be suffering from PTSD after that. So if your employer tries to get nasty on a few quid picked up off the floor in the heat of the moment, when you didn't know what you were doing and were under duress, then hit them with a 'duty of care', 'Post Traumatic Stress Disorder' lawsuit. Threaten them with all that and I promise you they'll back down for fear of having to pay YOU £3/£4 x 10,000.

[robinsky]

Good point there, Werewolf

[renegadeimp]

Good point, but it isnt wise to lie as if found out, youd look even more guilty.

[robinsky]

Yes, true. However, not to draw away from the issue, but I am under investigation myself at work for something innocuous and with my medical condition, things haven't been helped. That said, I am satisfied there was nothing in it, a fact backed up by the trade union and my workplace and this is getting on for going on for almost FOUR months.

 

I'd just pay the money back and bring an end to the matter - explain negligence and that should be that. It'd be harsh to have ANY type of record for a few quid.

[king12345]

You don't need to lie.

Say the truth.

Your were shocked and confused, understandable after an armed robbery and your mind went astray.

You picked up a few coins to buy some cigarettes and calm down but you would have given the coins back.

If you have an healthy looking bank account show the statement to them to corroborate the fact that you don't need a few coins to survive.

It was just that you wanted cigarettes and didn't have any cash on you.

All exacerbated by the trauma of the armed robbery.

Any smoker or former smoker knows that after a shock the craving becomes invalidating.

Anyhow, after all of this is over I would take the other job which hopefully doesn't include being held at gun point in the job description

[Pusillanimous]

Contact HSE. It is a health & safety issue and your employer should have protected you, given the known high risk of robbery. Ask to see the company policy on this and the risk assessment.

 

Get a medical checkup.