Would you report coworker theft?

[MTG#10]

This guy Ive been working with for the last couple years has been robbing my company blind lately, and does it right in front of me. It started out as just a couple < $10 items here and there, but recently Ive been noticing him taking much higher priced ($20+) things out to his car almost every day. Ive told him before he better stop before he gets caught but he just laughs and says something like "Why are you gonna rat on me?"

This guy isn't a really close friend or anything, but I do open with him every morning and he has been out to my house for cookouts a few times...not for a couple years though.

Its really bothering me, I don't want to be a rat but at the same time this shit is wrong and while I cant stand my current boss I do like the owner and his family. Ive told this guy more than once not to do it in front of me but he doesn't listen.

Should I say something to the owner or live by the rule "snitches get stitches"? He would certainly get fired and he has a wife who cant work and three kids at home so that would bother me as much or more than his stealing. And even if I did say something I don't know how to go about it...I cant do it anonymously because I'm the only one there in the mornings with him so they would know it was from me.

In a tough spot here.

[loochy]

repot dat foo

[WhawhaWhat]

Snitches get stitches.

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Snitches get stitches.

Stupid saying

[TLO]

Yes. You should report him.

[ptlyon]

"A vessel of sea going snitches"

[ShortRoundChief]

I hate to break it to you but knowledge of it and doing nothing about it makes you his accomplice.

[MTG#10]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

I hate to break it to you but knowledge of it and doing nothing about it makes you his accomplice.

This is why I started the thread and why I feel guilty not doing anything...but at the same time I dont want to be a snitch...ugh...

Originally Posted by ptlyon

I take it there are no security cameras present

There are but they dont record and him and I are the only ones there in the morning.

Originally Posted by notorious

A small business can get hurt pretty bad with theft like that, eventually causing you to lose your job.

What makes you think he won't blame you when the boss asks why shit is missing? If he steals he will certainly lie about it.

Its been going on for a year or more, I don't think they keep track of our inventory very well.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

I hate to break it to you but knowledge of it and doing nothing about it makes you his accomplice.

This....

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

I hate to break it to you but knowledge of it and doing nothing about it makes you his accomplice.

No, it doesn't.

[RobBlake]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

No, it doesn't.

Yes, it does.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by RobBlake

Yes, it does.

No, it doesn't. An accomplice is someone who knowingly and actively aids a criminal. Mere inaction does not make one an accomplice.

Hell, feel free to ask the cops on this board about that. There are very few instances in the criminal code where there is a duty to act.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

No, it doesn't. An accomplice is someone who knowingly and actively aids a criminal. Mere inaction does not make one an accomplice.

Hell, feel free to ask the cops on this board about that. There are very few instances in the criminal code where there is a duty to act.

Let me help you out here.

We aren't talking about trying to get a conviction on the employee who had knowledge.

If I have an employee who knows someone has been stealing from the company and ignores it, yea I can fire them too for lack of reporting it.

You are obligated as an employee to report anything that you know is a detriment to the company. At least at any company thats worth a shit.

The cost of the theft to the company could determine the course of action for the employee that was aware, but there would be accountability depending on severity including possible termination.

Would the knowledgeable employee be criminally responsible? No.

And the person stealing is guilty of a crime. In fact you dont have to steal to be criminally responsible. We have pressed charges against employees for purposefully damaging equipment but dropped charges when they agreed to pay for the damage, which also cost them their job.

Almost every time someone gets busted for this type of behavior its because a responsible employee reports it.

Furthermore our companies insurance company pays a $1000 reward to anyone reporting a person who ends up convicted of a crime. This has happened in the past but only once in 13 years.

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

No, it doesn't. An accomplice is someone who knowingly and actively aids a criminal. Mere inaction does not make one an accomplice.

Hell, feel free to ask the cops on this board about that. There are very few instances in the criminal code where there is a duty to act.

While generally true, if the thief says they were in it together, claiming he knew but didn't want to rat sticky fingers out is not an excellent defense to prosecution.

[HonestChieffan]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

I hate to break it to you but knowledge of it and doing nothing about it makes you his accomplice.

This. If he gets caught and you have said nothing, he will implicate you and the boss/owner you like will fire you both as well he should. Come clean and stay employed or wait for the axe to fall and be looking for a job.