Accused of stealing cash!!!

[mylocalplumber]

Well there's a first for everything but today and up to me writing this I am being accused by a customer of stealing cash.

Serves me right coz when I turned up to the job I should have turned away-really run down Caribbean takeaway.

so he asks me to cap a gas pipe. Simple..I ask him where's the gas meter? He takes me down to some basement makeshift bedroom where the meters on the wall. Fine..I do my tests and calls good(throughout this he's standing right behind me)

I go upstairs..cap the gas pipe. Then go back down to do my spillage tests. All fine..so I turn round and he's there in the corner and I jumped coz didn't know he was there..but strange.

so I charged him..he paid cash and I left..sweet right?

about an hour later I see 5 missed calls from him. Phones back and he says that he's missing some money which was on his gas meter! I'm stunned and explain to him that I saw no cash there and have no idea. He then says to me c'mon mate we all make mistakes just drop it back here. I again try to calmly explain that I did not take it, see it and having been a local plumber for 15 years in the area would not even think of it. But he seems oblivious to what I'm saying and I start to get annoyed and hang up.

so he's just called me before I'm writing this saying I thought you were coming down here with my money. I'm livid now and start asking him why of all places would you leave your money on gas meter? You were behind me the whole time, how can you be so sure it was me. It's like talking to a robot he starts upping it to full blow 'I know you took it'!

so I tell him don't call me again and told him to call the police. He seemed hesitant to do that so I said again call the police (swearword swearword!)

so so have another missed call from him. What could this guys angle be? What should I do..talk to police myself? I tell you it's strange. I just can't believe this guys for real and really has lost sum cash because he can't answer any of my questions. What would you guys do?

 

[Best]

I would report it to the police now. Be prepared for all the questioning that will probably come of it if he then tells police same bull.
It will look in your favour to report him and his accusations first.

 

[Best]

resents2:Forgot to ask, - How much did you manage to steal?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Forgot to ask, - How much did you manage to steal?

allegedly your honor

 

[Old Account]

First question why would someone leave money on a gas meter which is located in the basement?

Why would he let you work on the gas meter while leaving cash on top of the gas meter ? Staying right behind you and following you step by step and accusing you for stealing money ?

If I were you I would call the police myself and would wait easy in front of his house until they come. It's your reputation and word of mouth especially in your local area ... You best off solving the issue right away ... I would not let anybody accusing me for robbing money

 

[mylocalplumber]

resents2:Forgot to ask, - How much did you manage to steal?

I've not even asked. It's irrelevant to me. He's trying something on so did not want to even act like I'm buying it by asking him.

 

[Best]

I would not let anybody accusing me for robbing money

There's nothing much worse that would ruin your plumbing career and reputation than being called a thief.

 

[plumben]

As said above i would call the police straight away, by the sounds of it hes living in the shop which he shouldn't be doing for a start, but also he might try to slander you and your business,

either way he might of actually miss placed the money and genuinely thinks that you have stolen it,
I would ring him back and tell him that your willing to accept his apologies once he finds the money as you have not taken it and then put the phone down

or just go put a brick through the window

 

[mylocalplumber]

First question why would someone leave money on a gas meter which is located in the basement?

Why would he let you work on the gas meter while leaving cash on top of the gas meter ? Staying right behind you and following you step by step and accusing you for stealing money ?

If I were you I would call the police myself and would wait easy in front of his house until they come. It's your reputation and word of mouth especially in your local area ... You best off solving the issue right away ... I would not let anybody accusing me for robbing money

Im gonna call them right now..will let you know what they say. I'm just stunned. I'm thinking he's blaming me for taking money that he's taken out of the business. If he honestly thought I took the money then why would he be so calm when I'm getting angry with him and telling him to do one. I shouldn't let it but this stuff really gets me down!

 

[Old Account]

Im gonna call them right now..will let you know what they say. I'm just stunned. I'm thinking he's blaming me for taking money that he's taken out of the business. If he honestly thought I took the money then why would he be so calm when I'm getting angry with him and telling him to do one. I shouldn't let it but this stuff really gets me down!

I wouldn't have waited ... Straight away I'd call them to claryfi the situation. how ridiculous it sounds leaving money on top of a gas meter i heard quite a few stories like that but this is one of the rediclous stories about stealing money

 

[mylocalplumber]

I wouldn't have waited ... Straight away I'd call them to claryfi the situation. how ridiculous it sounds leaving money on top of a gas meter i heard quite a few stories like that but this is one of the rediclous stories about stealing money

I didn't call earlier coz I though the guy was round the twist and it wouldn't go further but since his call not long ago it's got me worried.

just spoke to police. They've made an appointment for me to see officer. It really CHEESes me off I have to waste police and my time over this bs!

 

[plumben]

I didn't call earlier coz I though the guy was round the twist and it wouldn't go further but since his call not long ago it's got me worried.

just spoke to police. They've made an appointment for me to see officer. It really ****es me off I have to waste police and my time over this bs!

I wouldn't worry about it too much, we all have to go through some BS from time to time, the fact that anyone would leave any amount of money on top of a gas meter and not in the till/wallet/sock draw or under the mattress is ridiculousness But now you know where to look for next time

 

[Old Account]

I didn't call earlier coz I though the guy was round the twist and it wouldn't go further but since his call not long ago it's got me worried.

just spoke to police. They've made an appointment for me to see officer. It really ****es me off I have to waste police and my time over this bs!

Surely it is annoying but better like this than getting ruined. As siad previously your income is your work which feeds your mouth and keeps you warm during the winter therefore you need to protect your work / business against such a ppl.

A little hassle but better like this than losing your business.

When I go to customers I always ask them kindly to take their phones , money like wealthy stuff to the side while I'm working in the house. So later on they do not accuse me and it looks more trustful to the customer

 

[Old Account]

I wouldn't worry about it too much, we all have to go through some BS from time to time, the fact that anyone would leave any amount of money on top of a gas meter and not in the till/wallet/sock draw or under the mattress is ridiculousness But now you know where to look for next time

I'll keep my eyes open too on top of the gas meter not only where the rainbow starts or ends you find gold

 

[Chalked]

Have seen cash left in some places in my time. It wasn't there the day before. Then on the day you are working in a certain place, there's a pile of coins in full Veiw.
Whenever I suspect the Customer is doing this on purpose. I chuck in a few coppers

Should love to be a fly in the wall when they count up and have the awkward conversation. " was there £7.35 or £7.39???.


Back to op. You know the truth. So stand your ground.

 

[Best]

His word against yours. And maybe he has a record with the police.
Just tell the police a very basic statement, plus answer any sensible questions they might ask you.
Hide the money somewhere nobody will find it.

Sorry, forgive my humour! :smile:

 

[Stanios]

Why would any plumber steal spare change, our rates are like a daylight robbery in themselves

 

[Rickster123]

I might've stolen some jerk chicken...

Ring the police and report the accusation now. Nothing to hide so gain the upper hand incase it goes any further.

 

[Rickster123]

I might've stolen some jerk chicken...

Ring the police and report the accusation now. Nothing to hide so gain the upper hand incase it goes any further.

 

[REDSAW]

report false acusation straight away. let the cops pay him a visit.
first thing they will ask him is 'do you wish to report a theft'? end off story because he will have to proove it. as i cant see him doing so!
they will suss him out.

i play poker lol.

 

[Masood]

Plumbers need to steal spare change, Ray's rates are like a daylight robbery in themselves

Fixed that for you...

 

[gassafe]

I would never do this, nor have I ever heard anything like it lol!

If a tradesmen asked me to gather up all my valuables in the house I would be most suspicious from the start?? Should I ask the customer to mover his Beamer of the drive so I don't get accused of swinging my tool box into it?

 

[Riley]

Sounds horrible situation to be in mate I hope it all works out. Be very interested to know what the police say about this

 

[stevetheplumber]

i suspect the police will do bugger all while on social housing i had a drill and a phone stolen police wouldnt even come out

 

[joni os]

Have seen cash left in some places in my time. It wasn't there the day before. Then on the day you are working in a certain place, there's a pile of coins in full Veiw.
Whenever I suspect the Customer is doing this on purpose. I chuck in a few coppers��

Should love to be a fly in the wall when they count up and have the awkward conversation. " was there £7.35 or £7.39???.


Back to op. You know the truth. So stand your ground.

Add a pound to your invoice for every penny you leave on the pile,

 

[newcastle phill]

I personally wouldnt bother calling the police.
Make contemporaneous notes now of what has happened detailing the job and sequence of missed calls.
Leave it at that.
The rest if for him to do and prove.
Ultimately it is his word against yours.

 

[newcastle phill]

Just reading other comments meanwhile.
When I first arrive at a job i look for valuables and handbags etc.
Then I go no further and do not handle them. I get the owner or staff member to remove them from my work area immediately without delay when they show me to the job

 

[kozak1968]

Block his number and forget about it. Blokes a looney.

 

[Phil]

Just reading other comments meanwhile.
When I first arrive at a job i look for valuables and handbags etc.
Then I go no further and do not handle them. I get the owner or staff member to remove them from my work area immediately without delay when they show me to the job

What really?

 

[newcastle phill]

If you work for any length of time your asking for trouble.
Just my way of doing things.

To be clear I only mean if they are obviously laying around in the immediate work area.