Thoughts and advice pls on trusted cleaner stealing money

There may have been a mistake on a supermarket bill (although most items are bar-coded these days), but there's no way an employee could gain from overcharging you.

The amount on the bill will have to agree with the amount in the till.

I meant a much broader subject - what about tax evasion and avoidance, working on the black, fiddling expenses, various kinds of fraud, big or small, breach of copyright etc. They're all to do with money and theft.
What's different with a cleaner stealing (or a family member) is the feeling of hurt and betrayal that comes with it. The police can't help you with that.
I would have no hesitation to go to the police if we were burgled, or mugged, or had the car stolen ( all have happened to us a few times.)
And a couple of times I've come across a supermarket bill which was suspiciously high.

Carers, cleaners, bank tellers, shop assistants, charity shop volunteers, church collection elders - all of them on the take, Tricia? It is amazing that there is any money in the entire country that is in the pockets it should be in!

You must have had some really nasty experiences to say that! I don't fancy your circle of friends.

!

LewLew - The victims should take some responsibility in this.
As I've already said, NEVER leave money in the house when someone is working there unsupervised.
Also (something else no doubt people won't agree with) very few people, if any, can be trusted 100% when it comes to money.

Well obviously police resources didn't stretch that far on this occasion, anya.

gettingonabit as has been mentioned earlier on this thread, they could have set up,a camera. They didn't choose to do anything except pass the buck.

Wobblybits sounds like our boys (and girls?) in blue were totally useless as per usual.

But at least it has now been reported to the police. An accumulation of these "unproved" reports from various different sources would add up to a conclusion of "This woman should be watched" while not reporting them would have left her as a "trusted cleaner" with access to other money hidden away at the back of a drawer. The agency also knowing about it means that she will not be sent to anyone else (not by them, anyway, if they have any conscience)

But lewlew, the OP has no proof that any money at all has gone missing. What can the police actually do in these circumstances, other than advise?

TriciaF So... if you don't think £600 is enough to warrant police involvement, how much money will a thief need to steal from someone's home (where it's well-hidden and they had to snoop for it) before you believe the police should be involved?

Too late now - see the OP's post of 11.42!

Do not speak to her about it at all. Contact the police, they will ad vise you the correct way to move forward. Any action by yourselves may affect any case the police may make. There is a good chance that you are not the only one she is stealing from. We had a similar instance when I worked for a day center, one of our guests thought she a victim of theft. The police found several other elderly people this person was stealing from, running into many 1000's of pounds.

I suggest you get in touch with the Police and ask for their advice. How absolutely horrible. I had my car broken into on Friday evening and spare cash which I had in there stolen, husband's car all a mess too, but nothin stolen. Whoever it was rifled through everything in the cars looking for cash. I emailed the PCSO for my area about it as I was worried we would be burgled the next evening or worse. I found out two other cars in the area also burgled. I would sack the woman immediately personally. It is sickening.

I hope that you have reported your suspicions to the agency. They may be her Rumanian friends, but they can't afford to employ someone who can't be trusted, it would damage their own reputation.

Well, it's resolved but not well. The police came and said they could do nothing without proof, but I don't think they clarified the proof they would need.
Don't ask me why, but instead of setting up a camera, my DS called the cleaner to give her the chance of owning up- of course she didn't. Very aggressive. So that's it. They and all their friends they had recommended her to have sacked her, but she also works for an agency run by another Rumanian and probably has other clients too.
My DS and DIL are having their locks changed and investigating burglar alarm systems as they are afraid of retaliation by her 'friends'.
As I said previously, there is absolutely no doubt that she took the money.
So, I guess the lesson is take care who you trust.

OK - difference of opinion. As I said earlier, I'm in the minority on this.

And, if I remember correctly, this wasn't a 'one off' but money has been going missing for some time.

Great temptation?
The money was at the back of a drawer. She must have been having a thorough snoop around.

I just want to add, I don't agree with reporting this to the police. It will give the accused a criminal record and they will probably never be employed again. Does it really serve them right, for a moments weakness with great temptation?
There are other ways to sort it out, person to person.
The husband of a friend here was accused of assault by another english neighbour, female. A very bitter person, who later retracted the accusation.
But he was taken to the police station, finger printed, had to make a statement etc. He's a very kindly man, now regarded as a potential criminal.

barmy - I know how hard it is. When my present husband and his daughter moved in with us (me + 3 children) I noticed money missing from my purse a few times, I kept it in a kitchen drawer. One day I caught my stepdaughter redhanded, rebuked her, and kept my purse elsewhere after that. She was about 12 at the time. I can still visualise it.
It taught me a lesson I never forgot. I hope she didn't either.
But there were other re-adjustment problems going on at the time, this was just one of them.
We get on fine now, nearly 40 years later. I wonder if she remembers?

NickyD47 Glad you have things in hand and will await the outcome. It's good the police came. As others have said, resources are stretched, but this is serious. And others' stories also help to put things into perspective.

barmy That must have been so difficult to have to do when it's your own family.

Don't leave large amounts of money in the house when you are not there. Don't leave credit cards about. The number of people I have seen going walking and leaving their bags in the car is dreadful. At least take your purse with you.

I went to the police when we had a similar problem. They were brilliant.
The thief owned up to taking about £400 which I got back in small monthly instalments.
He presumably has a record now. He is still quite a young man so don't know how it has impacted on his life and I don't care.

This is so hard. There is a very fine line between giving someone the benefit of the doubt and collusion through doing nothing.