break in!

[RussTburb]

Well they got us!! got the call from the police sunday morning that our (a well known brake and muffler francise wich I am the manage) front door was smashed out.! It would appear that the only thing they actually got away with was are new 120v mig welder they did not even take cash?
But there is a possibility one of my own employees may have had something to do with. So I ask your advise: Rumor has it that said employee is a crystal meth addict. Employee says "NO". How do some of you other manager/ owners deal with that? I'm told by my district manager that drug testing is get this... too exspensive to do everybody and some of my other techs (and some higher ups) like the mj. no what I mean? So this sucks. A muffler shop with no welder! Just had to vent thanks for listening.

[dinnut]

that really sucks!!!!!! try to sell them drugs... and record the whole thing and if they buy it you know theyre druggies!

[CPNEJR]

Well thats gotta suck hope ya find out who it is and get another welder

[shuttermutt]

STOP!

Take great care in how you proceed with this particular employee. I've been a manager for nearly a decade and I've had teams ranging in size from 5 to nearly 80 employees. I know you're upset (and rightfully so), but you must be careful in what you say and/or do at this point.

If you've already confronted the employee then the best thing to do is resume as if nothing happened. Don't ask him/her about it, don't talk to other employees about it, and don't make any changes of any kind. If you haven't confronted the employee then DON'T.

Call your lawyer and the police. Tell them everything that you know. Let them know how/why you suspect this employee and let them handle the interview and follow-up. The last thing you need is a disgruntled addict with a reason for getting revenge.

If the employee is taking drugs, that's obviously grounds for termination. You will, of course, need proof if your state isn't a Right To Hire state. Your lawyer can advise you further.

Drug testing isn't necessarily expensive, but there are some rules to follow. Your local small business agencies and lawyer can help you sort out what you'll need to do. Remember, however, that just because this person may be a drug user, that doesn't make them guilty of the crime.

I don't mean to sound alarmist or anything, but I'd hate to see you A) without legal recourse and/or B) a victim of a vindictive ex-employee because you didn't handle this with discretion and within the letter of the law. I've been through very similar situations and I can tell you that the devil's in the details!

[old Rusty C10]

i would report the theft to your insurance company then i would ( very very quietly ) tell the adjuster who will come get a statement exactly what you suspect and who you suspect, yes that will prolly void the claim and yes it may create other problems but the insurance company will prolly insist in drug tests . as far as im concerned people who are that far into drugs that they have to rob to support their habit are useless to society and should hopefully take the motherlode of dope and do the rest of the world a favor by overdosing.
In addition id move whatever tools i had out of the shop as its clear the management of the company condones drug use
would you want the guy working on your brakes high as a kite at the time?? id hope not

[RussTburb]

all good advise.
I have not confronted said employee, for those exact reasons. My fear a month ago (and I voiced it to the powers that be) was the disgruntal employee thing. I do not suspect him of actually stealing but telling someone what we had and maybe even showing him (the dealer). the back door. To the best of my knowledge the owner is yet to claim on his insurance and has no intention of doing so as the deductable and the higher premiums make it not in his best interest (sp?) the employee in ? went home early today "sick" again... anyone know symptoms of crystal meth withdrawl?

[Randy70C-10]

Check the local pawn shops for the welder. Pawn shops breed thieves and drug addicts. We have one down the street called Cash Converters. We call them "Crack Converters".

[RussTburb]

I went through the phone book and called every pawn shop in it. They seamed very helpful and took the serial number and police case #. They all said if it showed up there they would notify the police. btw whowever this was they sure did not seam the type, they took now cash, no computers, no hand tools, they took the welder off the cart with the tank and gauges but left the auto darkening helment that actually belongs to one of the techs. Hmmm?

[Randy70C-10]

That doesn't sound like someone after drug money, they wanted the welder specifically.

[dinnut]

sounds like someone wanted that welder!

[RussTburb]

yeah thats what I was thinking, I don't think it will end up in pawn shop someones shop but not the pawn shop.

[lukecp]

I agree. They wanted the welder to use.....if i was taking stuff to pawn, i would go for smaller items than a welder.

Drug tests would be a good idea....but of course not all thiefs use drugs and vise versa.

[70c10]

Time for a good camera setup!

[cwilli84]

The camera idea is a good one for future problems, but if you want a cheap route you could use a fake one and just run the coax wire to a hidden location with a used VCR and keep it an absolute secret, even from the owner if necessary. Just tellem a good friend gave it to ya since he sold off his business, or something.

[bigjimzlll]

I Have run a lot of jobs...at sometimes having over 100 employees.I/we have a zero tolerance drug policy. Myself being a reformed addict/drunk/theif, have a real first hand knowledge of when someones using. I have sent 24 employess in for drug test..all 24 tested possitive for drugs and were fired. I have gone in with a few myself to be tested(and came back clean). If you suspect an employee of using drugs/alcohol..its in the companies,customer and employees best interest to be tested(especially when working on brakes). If you do not have a mandatory drug screening program...instate one!

[frogsmakr]

metheads are grumpy w/o their fix....

[Castiron9]

If said emplyee is not a good and reliable employee,start documenting every time he is late,does not follow orders,etc,etc,and then just terminate him.......Just make sure that you explain to all employees the business's policy's and do not just single out said emplyee..If he is on drugs he will screw up enough times where you will have grounds to just get rid of him..Just my 2 cent's worth............

[tommygfunk]

the little who is now my X WIFE !!! before we got divorced stool cash and equpiment for her boy tramp... but she forgot about the sec. cameras i set up after the first theft. needless to say it was one ez divorce after my attorney saw the tapes lmaoraotf.....

tom

[casey]

I always beleive in going to the source, and in this case( only if your pretty sure)go talk to him. I had a bunch of tools stolen from a job site one time, and got a tip it was the neighbor kid, so I went to see him, said I had a tip that he stole the tools and said look if you don't want this to go anyfurther than between you and me, just make sure the tools are back at the house in the morning, and nothing more said, other wise I'll be talking to your parents and the police. tools were there in the morning. you have to offer a way out for this guy or your infor a fight, don't make it personnal, make it about the welder, so really all you want right now is the welder back, use this proceedure and see if the welder comes back, and if it does, of course you'll know he did it, and then once the smoke clears, just tell him it would be wise if he resigned, if he doesn't comply then you'll have to go through the proper channels, but what I'm saying will save you a lot of legal wrangling and headache, just my opinion

[67sss]

Have any suspicious customers in the last week or so? each invioce has to have a name. I'm also in favor of ZERO tolerance, 1 strike and your out, to many peoples lives at stake...