Out of Sight, Out of Store

(For a few days I have noticed two customers come into our bookstore with empty bags and crumpled receipts, match the books on the shelf with the receipts, then returning the “bought” books for cash. I make a phone call to my Store Manager, who never comes out of his office. This is after the third theft where we had two other eyewitnesses to the crime.)

Me: “[Store Manager], those two customers are back trying to return books that they pulled off the shelf again.”

Manager: “Just go ahead and give them the money.”

Me: “Sir, I personally watched them pull the books off the shelf and place them in the bag.”

Manager: “No one else saw them, right? We can’t take the word of one employee.”

Me: “Sir, after you said that the last TWO times I reported this, I had other employees watch them and they witnessed it as well.”

Manager: “Well, a few dollars isn’t much and I don’t want to deal with it.”

Me: “Sir, with today’s ‘return,’ the total would be over $300.”

Manager: “Just give it to them. I have more important things to worry about.” *hangs up*

(I hand the money to the customers but give them this parting shot as they leave…)

Me: *to the thieves* “Have a nice day, gentlemen, but if you come into this store again, I will personally hand over the security tapes with you on them to the police.”

(Three days later, my store manager comes up to me grinning.)

Manager: “See? They knew they were going to be caught soon so they finally stopped. Nothing to worry about!”