(I’ve just been hired on at a store as seasonal worker. There have been a few random thefts that can’t be explained.)
Coworker #1: “They just started up around the time that you and [Other Seasonal Worker] started. It’s funny.”
Me: “The manager told me about it. She said someone had taken the money we’d collected for the breast cancer awareness and shoved the envelope behind the desk in the office. We’ve also been losing around $10 or $20 from the registers from time to time.”
Coworker #1: “I can’t believe someone would do that. It offends me so much. God provides for us. I bet they’re using it to buy their drugs. That’s disgusting. If someone wanted to be lazy and just steal, they should let the prison take care of them.”
Me: “That’s a little harsh, don’t you think? Besides, we don’t know who it is. What if they needed the money for food?”
Coworker #1: “Because no one steals money for food. I wonder who it is. I know it’s not me or [Assistant Manager]. It could be you or [Other Seasonal Worker].”
Me: *offended* “I know you don’t know me, but I’d rather have the job than just chance losing it by taking money like that.”
Coworker #1: “Oh, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just saying; it could be any one of us. Except for [Assistant Manager]. She works so hard all the time, trying to pay her way through school. I bet it’s [Other Seasonal Worker]. She just looks the part. Like a druggie, you know? And I heard she’s been flitting from one job to the next. I bet she just doesn’t want to get caught.”
Me: “I’m sure [Manager] will find out who it is and the matter will be settled.”
(Six months later, we have a robbery. I’m not in on that day, but I hear from another coworker how Coworker #1 was there and gave a lengthy description of the thief to the cops and how it happened. Two weeks after that, she’s no longer on the roster.)
Me: “Oh, we lost [Coworker #1]?”
Coworker #2: “You didn’t hear? She got fired for theft.”
Me: *shocked* “What?”
Coworker #2: “She kept urging the manager on duty to go get some food, and while he was gone, she shoved the money down her sock and made some sob story about how she dropped some dimes. While she was picking them up, she said the customer leaned over to grab the money and ran out. Except the till squeaks when you take money out and [Manager] tested that. They went over the tapes and saw her stealing it. So they gave her the option to come in and give the money back and just be fired, or they’d call the cops on her.”
Me: “She always talks about how much money her husband makes! Why would she need to steal?”
Coworker #2: “I don’t know, but she told the manager it’s because she’s bi-polar and was off her meds.”
Me: “Did she steal that breast cancer money?”
Coworker #2: “Yeah! She kept telling everyone it was that other seasonal employee, because she looked like a druggie.”
Me: “Oh, man. You realize she gave the police a false report, right?”
Coworker #2: *smirking* “Yeah, so she’s likely going to go to jail anyway.”
