Guest Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 HI this is really sad, but we have a thief at nursery. It has actually been going on for a while, sadly.... people have had money taken from their purses, ranging from £1 right thorugh to £40. As i say it has been going on a while, was an isuse waaaayyyy before i even started. But in the last three months about £75 has been stolen on many different occasions. We really have no idea who it is, police are not interested as we can't prove who is doing it. We have even taken to storing our bags in our rooms, but this still hasn't detered the thief, as when we are out playing etc the room would be empty and this seems when the thief strikes It annoys me to know that one person i work with is doing this, and we don't ahve a clue..... so any ideas for catching a thief? p.s we don't have lockers, directors will not buy them for us!. Dawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Its an awful feeling that someone who you see everyday is doing this. A couple of years ago we went through a period where all the permanent staff had money stolen from their bags (no lockers either) it stopped when a supply TA moved to another area but that could be a coincidence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 oh gosh dont know what to say its just awful..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Can only suggest staff keep their money and valuables on them (as I do). How about money belts or similar? (Quite cheap too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 I agree with keeping your valuables on you at all times in this case, but oh dear, how sad that you should have to! How about putting a pad of indelible ink in your purse...........that way, whoever is doing it will be marked with it?Seriously though, i can't really come up with a practical answer, because you can't really search everyone , but it's horrid having to be suspicious of everyone you work with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfy Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 I had money and my phone stolen when working at a playscheme a couple of years ago. We couldn't have lockers as we used buildings that belonged to other organisations. I resorted to taking as little of any personal belonging with me and locking the rest in my car. We provided the large amount of volunteer staff that worked for us the opportunity to hand in anything that was of value and we locked this away with our medicines, a cupboard only I or my senior had access to. Its horrible to know that everyday you are looking in to the eyes of someone who is stealing from you. hope you manage to sort it out elfy x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andreamay Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 there needs to be a spot check,for every staff leaving the building.could staff perhaps write down howmuch cash they have in their purses/bags when they arrive and then checked when they go!Ask them to empty pockets.try marking a note before hand.only way sorry.Everyone but the thief will be all for it.you may have to tell them it may happen,that may be enough to stop it!dishonest people should not be working with children sorry thats my opinion bit harsh I know!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 We've just got lockers. It's one thing after another where you work!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubblejack Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 It really does create an unpleasant atmosphere because it leaves all staff under suspicion. I have been running my group for many years and had never come up with this problem untill last year. A staff member had their purse stolen. We had a student with us who never ever wore a coat even on the coldest day. The day she wore her coat I saw her going into the cloakroom during the session when we were having a rehearsal for the nativity. This was the sad day that the money/purse disappeared. I had to tell all staff that I had reported the incident to the police and they may be interviewing all staff. This was the last day I saw the student. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 I dont think you could ask people to undertake what amounts to a search procedure. I think you would have a lot of innocent disgruntled staff on your hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 How awful. Apart from asking staff to bring as little of value as possible to work, how about a lockable suitcase/container to put handbags in and only you have the key. Could parents have access to handbags? I know ours could easily as we bung them in the paper cupboard, we are so trusting, and although parents don't need to go in there it can be left open with bags on full view. Very sad. Not sure a search would yield much, someone could feasilbly hide money in their underwear or shoes! Deb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Has everyone had something taken? I have been in this situation and it turned out to be a much older sibling. How they gained access to the locker though remained a mystery but its a not a nice situation. Hope you can resolve it soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 We have been on the receiving end of light fingered colleagues in the past and the only way we were able to stop it, was to buy a lockable cabinet that was kept in the office. Only the manager and I had keys and we were the only ones to go to and from putting in and taking out items. Our thief even stole food from the cupboards but unfortunately there was nothing we could do about it, unless we put it all under lock and key Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 Thanks for advice everyone, Most people in the nursery have had something taken, bar myself, my deputy and two newer members of staff ~ so thinking like that kind of assumes that the thief is either myself (which it isn't) my deputy, or the two members of new staff..... but that formula doesn't add up, because money has gone missing whilst i have been off, and way before the new members of staff started. I agree a search would yield nothing i don't think, i did think about marking a £5 note (as this seems to be what goes most often) and placing it somewhere and see if it goes missing,.... i have also had money go missing of my desk in the office (but we think a parent took that) ~ gosh its a sad situation really. No one trusts anyone, and many staff have ideas as to who the thief may be , but these ideas are basically down to personal speculation and no hard facts! hmmmmm, its just not nice to know your working with a thief... Dawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 You dont really know that everyone has had money taken, it's only what you are being told. Speak to all the staff together, say that you know and they know someone is stealing and you want it to stop. Be careful not to look at one person for longer than another, but be very firm. Tell them that your door is always open to anyone who wishes to talk to you in confidence, the thief may be feeling guilty and have issues outside of the workplace that you know nothing about. Log all the thefts, date, amounts and who from, and just keep your eyes peeled. Good luck, it must be a horrible situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 I agree with Rea about 'speculation'. If the company won't provide lockers, could you get them to provide a lock for your office door.( or if you have one, use it. Then as others have suggested, keep all valuable items in one place under lock and key. Each member of staff could have a box/basket to put their personal/precious items in and only have access to them from you. Also a bit disturbing if parents or staff can freely access the office ( money taken from desk) which must contain confidential information. I would have a full staff meeting ( and other users of the premises/cleaners etc) stating clearly that advice has been sought and that security systems are being put in place, that theft is a criminal offence and that anyone caught will be instantly dismissed and will be reported to the police and may face prosecution. If a meeting is not possible for everyone to attend then send a memo to everybody. It is sad, yes offer a listening ear and support but keep very clear the boundaries of expected professional behaviuour. Hope it all sorts itself out very soon. If it doesn't, I would ask the police to advise you on ways that you can legally deal with this situation, from spot searches, to CCTV or other strategies. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running Bunny Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 What a difficult situation Dawn. THis has fortunately never happened to me, and I'm not sure what I would do if presented with this situation. Other suggestions, like keeping bags in the office to which only you have the key and is ALWAYS locked every time you go out could be an option. When I worked at a well known supermarket, we were spot checked before and after shift to make sure that we weren't taking chewing gum etc onto the shop floor and equally that we didn't take £50 out of the till at the end of the shift. Perhaps a talk to the staff with the 'threat' of spot checks at any time when leaving the premises could be enough to stop the thief - but you would have to be aware of human rights etc... I can't see why the directors won't buy lockers or a lockable filing cabinet where the bottom drawer is for personal belongings if this is happening -surely they have a duty to their staff? Like Rea said, keep a log of all incidents - perhaps staff could be encouraged to check purses at every break time, so you could pin down times of the day i.e. before or after dinner and you could see what staff were on site at that point. It's not going to be easy as everyone is going to watch everyone else everytime they go to the loo or back inside or behaves suspiciously... let us know how you get on. RB x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andreamay Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 thank you Rea the reason I suggested searches was I worked for a company who did it we never had any problems,howver i do realise that money could be hidden in shoes etc but just the threat or even suggest it at meeting and see what everyone says,do people have to bring in so much money to work?and if they do could they not put it in a safe in the office? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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