Phone stolen at work

pjfsmith

My first post so not too sure if thread is in the right place so apologies if in advance if it is.

Anyway, I work in retail in Dublin and during the week my phone was stolen from the staff area in the shop. The staff area is downstairs which is accessed through a doorway on the shop floor leading onto a stairwell to the stockroom and staff facilities. Said phone was left in my bag under the kitchen table as instructed (I am not allowed carry my phone on my person).

A woman managed to sneak downstairs and steal mine and another phone. Unfortunately I do not have my phone insured as I am usually very careful with my belongings.

The theft has been reported to Gardai. I am just wondering if the company is liable for this and if so, is it worth my while going to the top and asking to be reimbursed? The Garda I dealt with also said that the incident will be treated as a burglary, whatever that means?

For the record there are no lockers or any such security provided for employee's personal belongings.

Any input or advice on this would be very much appreciated as I really need to have this sorted as soon as possible!

coylemj

I recognise that you are not allowed to carry the phone on your person at work and that you have no locker facilities in the workplace but you knew that when you decided to bring the phone to work so I can't see how you could expect your employer to bear some responsibility for the theft of the item.

Should you report it up the line? I don't think so, any employer who doesn't even provide small lockers for the employees will tell you to p**s off if you even suggest that he/she is liable for the theft.

theteal

that exact scenario occurred to a friend of mine working in a jewelers on Grafton street a while back. I don't know whether it was covered by insurance but the shop covered the staff losses

drunkmonkey

Is there no CCTV in the shop, report it to your manager as if someone is stealing stuff at work its not just your phone, if your manager doesn't take the matter seriously report it to the owner of the store on the quite, they'll be very interested to hear whats going on as the last thing they want in their store is a thief and they'll help you get to the bottom of it.

theteal

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Is there no CCTV in the shop, report it to your manager as if someone is stealing stuff at work its not just your phone, if your manager doesn't take the matter seriously report it to the owner of the store on the quite, they'll be very interested to hear whats going on as the last thing they want in their store is a thief and they'll help you get to the bottom of it.

its not a staff member, someone walked in off the street and down the stairs. this is not a rare occurance these days, I can tell another story of a junkie moseying down the stairs of a sports shop on Henry street about 2 months ago

drunkmonkey

How do you know its not a staff member it sure sounds like it. Can't imagine a random junky walking off the street and just going to the handbag and taking a phone.

RandolphEsq

theteal wrote: »

its not a staff member, someone walked in off the street and down the stairs. this is not a rare occurance these days, I can tell another story of a junkie moseying down the stairs of a sports shop on Henry street about 2 months ago

Ah come on; the Arnotts sport department is 'downstairs', is that what you meant? This is a specific staff area. It was more-than-likely a fellow employee.

In which case I am telling the O.P. to push the review of the incident with her superiors big time, because with some CCTV it will be easy to have a specific culprit, and the OP is fully entitled to view the CCTV.

If that fails, there are more technical, messy avenues that can be pursued!

theteal

drunkmonkey wrote: »

How do you know its not a staff member it sure sounds like it. Can't imagine a random junky walking off the street and just going to the handbag and taking a phone.

I've referenced 2 examples that have happened to 2 personal friends on both of the main shopping streets in dublin. I would find it hard to believe that these are the only instances

theteal

RandolphEsq wrote: »

Ah come on; the Arnotts sport department is 'downstairs', is that what you meant? This is a specific staff area. It was more-than-likely a fellow employee.

In which case I am telling the O.P. to push the review of the incident with her superiors big time, because with some CCTV it will be easy to have a specific culprit, and the OP is fully entitled to view the CCTV.

If that fails, there are more technical, messy avenues that can be pursued!

nope, champion sports, gpo arcade - 2 of the staff ended up in the infectious diseases unit after wrestling him to the ground awaiting the guards

RandolphEsq

theteal wrote: »

nope, champion sports, gpo arcade - 2 of the staff ended up in the infectious diseases unit after wrestling him to the ground awaiting the guards

There is a 'downstairs' but it isn't staff only there, it is the footwear area. Is that what you meant?

Even if it isn't. by saying the staff ended up in the 'infectious diseases unit' is an inflammatory statement. Insurance warrants such a trip. But if those staff members experienced a more-than bruff physical encounter i.e. HIV, they have not a whole lot to worry about as it is extremely difficult to contract outside of risky sexual behaviour, i.e. needle-stick injuries.

drunkmonkey

theteal wrote: »

I've referenced 2 examples that have happened to 2 personal friends on both of the main shopping streets in dublin. I would find it hard to believe that these are the only instances

And i've a few shops, the biggest thief's are staff not randomers.
I took one person on with a 40k package and they stole something worth €400 on their second day. Thankfully I've some good staff that spotted it and reported it.

My advice still stands have a quite word with the owners they'll take it very seriously.

theteal

RandolphEsq wrote: »

There is a 'downstairs' but it isn't staff only there, it is the footwear area. Is that what you meant?

Even if it isn't. by saying the staff ended up in the 'infectious diseases unit' is an inflammatory statement. Insurance warrants such a trip. But if those staff members experienced a more-than bruff physical encounter i.e. HIV, they have not a whole lot to worry about as it is extremely difficult to contract outside of risky sexual behaviour, i.e. needle-stick injuries.

I don't count a 2 step lowered flooring area as downstairs, this was downstairs through the 'security door' in the footware store room from what I gather. either way, the point is that opportunistic randomers are doing this and that was the impression I got from the op

drunkmonkey

theteal wrote: »

the point is that opportunistic randomers are doing this and that was the impression I got from the op

Why would you just take 2 phones, that's the bit I don't get and that's why I think it's someone from work.

theteal

drunkmonkey wrote: »

And i've a few shops, the biggest thief's are staff not randomers.
I took one person on with a 40k package and they stole something worth €400 on their second day. Thankfully I've some good staff that spotted it and reported it.

My advice still stands have a quite word with the owners they'll take it very seriously.

oh no, your advice is sound, I've had not too dissimilar experiences with former staff members but my impression of the op is that they know its a walk in - "a woman managed so sneak downstairs"

RandolphEsq

theteal wrote: »

oh no, your advice is sound, I've had not too dissimilar experiences with former staff members but my impression of the op is that they know its a walk in - "a woman managed so sneak downstairs"

Don't feel that I am engaging with you based on your general views btw!

drunkmonkey

theteal wrote: »

"a woman managed so sneak downstairs"

I only noticed that on the read of the post again, So they know it's a woman, it has to be on camera somewhere then. Should have taken the CCTV to the local station not just reported a phone stolen with the Gardaí.

If the thief is an idiot and they usually are they could have made some calls on the phones, it's worth the 2 girls time to call their networks to find out the last few calls then give the numbers to the Gardaí if they have any calls made they'll have her caught in no time.

theteal

RandolphEsq wrote: »

Don't feel that I am engaging with you based on your general views btw!

not at all, no issues, I should be more clear in my posts but typing on a phone at 2 in the morning has its drawbacks

RandolphEsq

theteal wrote: »

not at all, no issues, I should be more clear in my posts but typing on a phone at 2 in the morning has its drawbacks

Cool, cheers,

I take on board what you are saying about the area where the phone was taken, but . . . is there CCTV to show it was some random junkie?

Separately, and I stress separately (not that I think I have to for you!), I really feel it is inflammatory to say that the employees ended up in the I.D.U. Come on, that is terribly unfair and unnappreciative of the realities of common and uncommon infectious diseases. To mention the common cold and, with no O.T. intentions, H.I.V. in a common robbery situation.

theteal

RandolphEsq wrote: »

Cool, cheers,

I take on board what you are saying about the area where the phone was taken, but . . . is there CCTV to show it was some random junkie?

Separately, and I stress separately (not that I think I have to for you!), I really feel it is inflammatory to say that the employees ended up in the I.D.U. Come on, that is terribly unfair and unnappreciative of the realities of common and uncommon infectious diseases. To mention the common cold and, with no O.T. intentions, H.I.V. in a common robbery situation.

ah you're making me type more! yes, it was inflammatory and I didn't want to add the IDU part but I thought it would help emphasise that this wasn't a shop floor incident, this was a full on altercation in the staff area resulting in genuine concerns for the staff involved but then again I will say that my powers of description are nullified greatly when typing on the phone as I tend towards short and sweet posts. my apologies

RandolphEsq

theteal wrote: »

ah you're making me type more! yes, it was inflammatory and I didn't want to add the IDU part but I thought it would help emphasise that this wasn't a shop floor incident, this was a full on altercation in the staff area resulting in genuine concerns for the staff involved but then again I will say that my powers of description are nullified greatly when typing on the phone as I tend towards short and sweet posts. my apologies

Unfortunately I fear our 'OK!' reading OP has been left behind many posts ago. Adieu my friend!

pjfsmith

There was only myslef and my manager in shop at the time and it was both our phones stolen lady seen on camera going down and coming back up on the sly was reported to gardai as mentioned statements given cctv in their possesion.

Am wondering do I have a foot to stand on before taking the matter of getting reimbursed further!

theteal

I honestly don't know, op. have you spoken to your manager? is he/she looking for reimbursement from head office?

Marcusm

pjfsmith wrote: »

There was only myslef and my manager in shop at the time and it was both our phones stolen lady seen on camera going down and coming back up on the sly was reported to gardai as mentioned statements given cctv in their possesion.

Am wondering do I have a foot to stand on before taking the matter of getting reimbursed further!

I would have thought that the shop's liability insurance should cover theft of staff belongings in a secure area of the premises. I would epxect the shopowner to reimburse or compensate the employees and then to counterclaim against its insurance.