bad few days

[Gary820]

So at work we do a lot of wheel swaps with winter and summer wheels, we store some on site for customers and a lot go to bmw to store in a big warehouse, well in the last 6 weeks we've had 2 sets go missing, about 7 grands worth!! Both sets have been checked in after delivered from bmw but when we've gone to find them to fit to the customer's cars they've gone, storage cage is there but label removed and no wheels!! We do a lot of these every autumn/spring and the tracking system works.

We have cctv and security staff on site but so far nothing notable can be found in the footage.

Our top boss got us all together and very annoyingly has accused someone in the workshop of stealing these wheels!!! No other departments have been implicated just us, not even parts who are responsible for them!! Needless to say everyone is fuming by this.

He's then banned us from using the workshop for our own vehicles and can't even book them in for mot!!! Said when the theif owns up he'll maybe allow us to use it again.

Now I've been there longer then everyone in the workshop and longer then all or the managers in the place, I'd trust the lads with my life and at times probably do when lifting gearboxes etc. I've been to see the boss and put my point over to him and asked him to explain why it must be workshop staff, he said from previous experience it just has been!!!!!!

We have the police involved and he's demanded everyone to be interviewed by the police but only workshop! One of the lads has called HR and they're not happy we've been accused and we've not far off downed tools over it all.

Not been the best place to work as moral is on it's arse, arguments with management and everyone feels like we're not being trusted with anything at all!! Even better they asked people to do overtime to clear the sales work as it's month end and cars need to go out!! We all left on time and now customers will suffer because of it all.

 

[Shayne]

I'm sure thats an awful place to be right now and i hope for your sake they do catch the thief or else the damage will be lasting .

 

[Chas]

Nothing on CCTV? I'd be looking at the security staff.

 

[clivehorridge]

Sorry to hear that Gary, it's a bummer when innocents get accused, your Boss should take a course in man management.

Here, the first to be considered is and should be, the security staff.

When I first came to Romania, I was working on a construction site with 24/7 security. I used to work late most evenings and I'd been told never to leave valuables in my desk drawer.

One Friday evening I left the office late and drove down the long access road to the security guard manning the gate. It was then I remembered I'd left my camera in my desk drawer, so I told the security guard, to be on the safe side. Sure enough, first thing Monday morning, I found that it was missing.

I reported it to the project manager and he called the police. They arrived and immediately interviewed the Security Guards. To my surprise (but nobody else's apparently) they hauled one of them away in the police truck, having found my camera in his locker.

It was the guy that had been on the gate on the Friday night.

I hope someone is caught soon Gary, or the theiving stops, it casts a black cloud over the whole place.

 

[wobbly]

An observation.

If the Police are called in to investigate a crime, then they do so in the manner that suits them. They dont accept instructions from anybody as to how a crime should be dealt with, nor who they can or can't speak to. Putting restrictions on an investigation, and thus directing their enquiries in a certain direction, is still attempting to interfere with the administration of justice, and is a criminal offence.......

I guess that there's a big gap in time since they were booked in, then someone found them missing? And likewise, someone who stole them is hardly likely to own up are they! Ultimately, its his decision regarding staff using workshop facilities though, regardless of how annoying the decision is.

Pete

 

[Gary820]

Yeah it's quite horrible at the moment, not enjoying going to work and I'm not the only one!

The cctv covers upto the workshop door but not in the workshop, the whole outside is actually covered. they've assumed they've been loaded into the boot of a car inside. There's not many people with a vehicle big enough to put a set of wheels in, I've been asked about the occasions mine has been recorded driving in or out, as have the other lads with bigger vehicle's.
We move a lot of wheels on site (our tyre fitting gear is next door at mini) so even movement of wheels outside has been checked on the footage. There's a lot of it to go through as we know when the sets arrived upto when they were needed.

 

[Gary820]

Yeah Pete that's pretty much what they said, they'll do their own enquiries and have asked for the footage we have.
We have about a 6 week window. We've even called the warehouse to make sure no loose wheels have been sent back by mistake.

 

[Julian T]

That's a bit of a bugger to have happen, hope it gets resolved soon otherwise the long term damage could be considerable.

 

[Sag]

Hope it gets sorted buddy,I worked at rover a long time ago and similar thing happened but with car stereos,3month down the line it ended up been a sales man funny enough,but like you said we all suffered and lost all the perks of the job.

 

[frank rabbets]

If a crime is reported the police will interview who they want. I would have thought it would have started with the management as they have overall control.

 

[Gary820]

Well I've been interviewed yesterday by the police under caution, footage showing my vehicle driving into the workshop and back out a few hours later (the 80) so asked to clarify what I was doing which I could as was doing some work on it, my workshop manager can confirm this as was looking round it.

Another instance where I'm putting a set of wheels into the boot of my 1 series which are my winter wheels (can prove where came from as got permission to take from the scrap bin), the wheels in the footage match the set in my garage which I invited them to have a look, they've been to my house (soon as I suggested having a look they were ready to go) and confirmed this, asked about the 35's stacked up which are obviously for the 80 with pics to prove. thanked me for my time and said won't need to talk to me again.

I know a couple of other people have been interviewed including management, security staff and parts staff. It seems they're going off cctv activity that's not normal day to day stuff and talking to those involved. It very much looks like an inside job so to speak, people are annoyed at being accused and couple of lads have threatened to leave, I've told them if nothing to hide just go through the motions and it'll get sorted, quitting will make you look guilty!

Apparently a fair bit of suspicious footage like me with the 80 and my wheels that needs to be ruled out.

 

[Shayne]

Seems to me police have no intention of catching anybody they may as well have put an ad in the local paper saying please hide the evidence because we don't want to find it .

 

[wobbly]

It sounds to me like its being done properly, caution plus two is normal (you're not under arrest and free to leave at any time), and the cctv is a good starter - altho anyone with half a brain who had them at home will have moved them by now....

I understand that the lads may be peeved about it, but I also feel for the boss man - that £7k has to come from somewhere to make it good for the customers, ultimately, regardless of the poor management technique, you're all victims of the thief.

 

[Gary820]

It's been annoying how it was handled to start with but now it's being dealt with by the pro's. All the customer's know is there was an issue with the wheels and they've had a brand new set supplied and fitted for free with an apology for any inconvenience.

I really hope they are caught and get whatever is coming their way, it's caused so many issues within the business and not just moral taking a kick in the teeth. People refusing to do certain tasks, massive divide between departments and a fair bit of hostility towards management! Customers suffer because of it all too. I keep getting caught in the middle as the boss will actually talk to me! Been making life stressful which isn't helpful with a baby at home and a big assessment next month!!


He asked my opinion on cctv in the workshop and I've said just get it fitted as will stop any future issues. I suppose it's a sign he doesn't actually suspect me which is nice!

 

[Towpack]

Seems to me police have no intention of catching anybody they may as well have put an ad in the local paper saying please hide the evidence because we don't want to find it .

So what gives you that impression then? As far as the police are concerned, everyone with access to the crime scene will be under suspicion initially, irrespective of any accusations that may have been made by management. With Gary280 having permission to use the facilities to work on his truck and all being recorded on cctv, obviously he would be one of the first people questioned and eliminated. It's understandable to feel like a victim in his situation but it's just due process. Given the cutbacks and the workload the police are facing these days I guess it's quite a low priority crime but give them time and a chance to do their job. JMO

 

[Shayne]

Maybe the cat was out of the bag before the police were ever called but by interviewing Gary at work and taking him home to investigate further they have more or less told the guilty party to get on the phone and tell his mate to hide the evidence quicksmart .

Seems logical that the guilty party is not a stranger and so his/her details are readily available . They should have watched the cctv and narrowed it down to a number of possibles . Gary would have been on that list but of low priority because the boss could have vouched for him before he was questioned rather than after . Obviously i don't know how many are employed there but lets say Gary was number 7 and the last on the list .

7 unexpected home visits by police on a Sunday .

 

[Gary820]

I wasn't interviewed at work and I suggested we go to my house to match my wheels to the cctv (i imagine a warrant would be needed to just turn up and search) I told them my manager knows I was working on my vehicle when they asked me, I don't know if he was then called to confirm this. Anyone under higher suspicion from cctv activity was interviewed Friday, this included me due to the nature of what I was doing. My actions are perfectly legit so I'm clear of any suspicious activity.

I think for how low a priority crime it is they've not messed around.
We deal with the police on a weekly basis with their cars and other things they sometimes ask of us, maybe partly in their own interests to sort it.
I think the wheels will be long gone whoever has had them away would be daft to still have them!