Shoplifting question?

[19that_1_guy94]

I am very new to these forums. But I had a question about someone shoplifting from Kroger...
So someone I know is an employee at Kroger and she needed a lighter to cook her spoon after work. She was very desperate and had no money to buy a lighter. She stole one and is afraid that she was caught on camera. She has yet to go back because she has the next three days off, my question is since she successfully got out of the store without any employee saying anything, can she get fired? If they accuse her can she deny it & get away with a job.If they do not have her on camera and just trying to get a confession out of her can they fire her without for sure proof?

 

[Drew.]

There's definitely a camera and if they checked they'd find out. But if they regard it as nothing, then you're safe. If it's looked into it is pretty much all you need to worry about.

 

[Nom de Plume]

Yes, an employee will probably get fired and/or given some other punishment if caught shoplifting from the same store they work in. And yes, an employee can get fired over behaving such that they give their boss or management enough suspicion or reason to suspect misconduct or a transgression on the part of the employee. I don't suppose the likelihood is terribly high for a boss to fire an employee over merely a gut feeling of them having stolen a worthless lighter, in the absence of definitive proof and if the employee hasn't been in any prior trouble.

However, understand that any damage the shoplifter could have done has already been done. The management are either aware of the employee's shoplifting and have already decided to fire her, or they are unaware of the employee's shoplifting and she won't lose her job. Either way, the die has been cast and her fate is already sealed, so there's no rationale for avoiding her job. (I am making the assumption that she is entertaining the idea not to return to her job at the end of her three-day vacation, letting her fears and emotions baffle her judgment.)

Look at the scenario this way:

Let's assume she has a 50/50 chance of either keeping or losing her employment for shoplifting. The probability for keeping her employment with excessive absenteeism is always 0% over a sufficient period of time or number of days absent. So she has two options. She can either:
A.) Stay away from her job and absolutely get fired.
B.) Return to her job and have a fifty-fifty chance of getting fired.

With option A, the only outcome is unfavorable. But option B provides an equal probability for a favorable or unfavorable outcome. She stands to win more with option B than option A, but all while taking an equal risk. Obviously, the most logical and profitable option is B.

 

[T. Calderone]

If nobody's sitting there monitoring the cctv, the camera's are not very useful are they?

 

[fizzymk]

Im a rep for a large gas station/ convenience store chain, I have 28 stores in my district, we have alot of shoplifting at our stores, we also have those little black bubble cameras all over the stores, but rarely do they ever catch anyone, Ive even seen people go in and grab cases of beer, and walk out and the security company supposed to be monitoring the cameras never caught it, most likely they were never even watching, its rare for anyone to actually monitor these cameras, especially in retail stores, Im pretty sure they dont monitor them all the time, only here and there.

Its not like someone goes back and reviews these cameras either, this only happens if something very serious happens, like an armed robbery, or $1000s of dollars come up missing at the end of a shift, shit like this. They most certainly dont waste time trying to catch someone stealing a $2. lighter. LOL

If your friend was not caught right then and there, she has nothing to worry about, if they had caught it, they would have grabbed her up before she walked out the door, shes fine to go back to work.

Plus, I know at my company, they are more concerned with employees stealing either money or cigarettes, shoplifting little things like lighters, candy bars, etc is generally not a big deal to most stores.

 

[Mariposa]

It's very unlikely that your friend will get caught. Small items go missing from grocery stores all the time. It's a lighter, not a TV. I wouldn't worry if I were your friend. I doubt anyone would notice.

What I would worry about is the fact that your friend has a job that I trust she wants to keep. There are standards associated with being employed, and one of those standards is don't steal. If your friend was "desperate" to "cook her spoon" her performance at work is likely suffering. Active addiction and employment are not generally compatible. A person can only put up an image for so long.

 

[Erikmen]

Yes, an employee will probably get fired and/or given some other punishment if caught shoplifting from the same store they work in. And yes, an employee can get fired over behaving such that they give their boss or management enough suspicion or reason to suspect misconduct or a transgression on the part of the employee. I don't suppose the likelihood is terribly high for a boss to fire an employee over merely a gut feeling of them having stolen a worthless lighter, in the absence of definitive proof and if the employee hasn't been in any prior trouble.

However, understand that any damage the shoplifter could have done has already been done. The management are either aware of the employee's shoplifting and have already decided to fire her, or they are unaware of the employee's shoplifting and she won't lose her job. Either way, the die has been cast and her fate is already sealed, so there's no rationale for avoiding her job. (I am making the assumption that she is entertaining the idea not to return to her job at the end of her three-day vacation, letting her fears and emotions baffle her judgment.)

Look at the scenario this way:

Let's assume she has a 50/50 chance of either keeping or losing her employment for shoplifting. The probability for keeping her employment with excessive absenteeism is always 0% over a sufficient period of time or number of days absent. So she has two options. She can either:
A.) Stay away from her job and absolutely get fired.
B.) Return to her job and have a fifty-fifty chance of getting fired.

With option A, the only outcome is unfavorable. But option B provides an equal probability for a favorable or unfavorable outcome. She stands to win more with option B than option A, but all while taking an equal risk. Obviously, the most logical and profitable option is B.

That was very good indeed! IMO it´s not the lighter but their thoughts of having to deal with an addicted and the fear of worst things happening.
Again IME employers at some point know us better than we can imagine. They know you a lot, they´ve chosen you after all, everything about your life, given sometime at the job. Given sometime..
This is their house their living, there are eyes everywhere. Not only from the cameras but observations from colleagues, supervisors, etc.
Try to be as productive as you can. That has always been a life saver in many jobs. Productivity and trust!
Good luck!