Retail Embezzlement - What Evidence Is Needed?
I am a manager for a retail store in Michigan. I just discovered that an employee, who I *thought* was a great employee, has been taking money from the cash drawer of the register in a very creative way. I figured out how he did it, but here is the problem:
There is only one cash register that every employee on shift uses to ring up the customers. This register is a computer system called "point of sale". Yes, each employee has to enter their 3 letter "name" to log on and use the system but their are no "passwords" that you have to enter. Thus, since everyone knows everybodys "screen name", he could have logged on as someone else.
We do not have video surveliance in the store.
We do have a way to contact those customers affected, that they *might* be able to identify who rang their purchase up.
In a week and a half of his working, I have found about $400 that is missing. I suspect this has been going on for 5 months. The kicker? He gave his 2 week notice 1 1/2 weeks ago!!! He only has 3 more days to work!!!
I want to confront him, but I don't know if I should. Do I have enough evidence by finding a pattern of "missing money" only on the days he worked (with different people...)? Would that be enough to take to the poice or would telling him that I know and making him pay what he took be good enough?? The owner is ready to go to the police, but I don't know if that is the best option.
Please give me any information you might have. I would be very appreciative!
Re: Retail Embezzlement--what evidence needed?
Sounds like a crook to me.
Call the cops.
Re: Retail Embezzlement--what evidence needed?
If you can get him to confess to you it's not as good as his confession to a police officer, but it could make all the difference as to whether this is prosecuted. I would embellish a bit, make him think I knew a lot more than I did, and confront him. "A customer called us because you did X when ringing in their sale, and they thought you were stealing. Another customer saw you do X a few days later. Can you explain what happened?"
Re: Retail Embezzlement - What Evidence Is Needed?
Things depend on how bad you want him prosecuted. Sometimes the best course of action is just cut your loses and remove the problem