There Are Theves Everywhere

[Calamity Kris]

Uno had to work so I tried to catch some deals with gift cards I had received for Christmas. I found an item I was interested in at a good price so I stood in line to purchase it. When I finally reached the register, there was a small balance due after the gift card was tendered so I handed the cashier my credit card. She swiped my card for the transaction and I never saw it again. She made some small talk, put my receipt in the bag and handed me the bag. I asked where my card was. She insisted she gave it back to me. She made motions as though she was looking around the register. No card. The line was getting longer and people were starting to get irritated. I was not budging. I told her I wouldn't leave until I received my card. Another "search" of the register area and no card. She continued to insist she gave it to me. I knew she hadn't. The lady behind me in line asked if I was sure, really sure she didn't give it to me. I replied yes I was very sure. Finally, the cashier picked up a pile of "trash" on the counter and low and behold, my card was underneath. The woman behind me was stunned and the line got silent. I took the card from her and walked away to find the nearest manager. The cashier grabbed another cashier and "went on break". When I finally reached a manager, they profusely apologized, offering to give me gift cards for my trouble {like I want to shop with these folks again.....} I declined but told them they had better start looking for that employee because chances are I wasn't the only person to "loose" a card that day. I was the first one to realize it while in line.

 

When I hand my credit or debit card to someone, I put the index finger of my non-signing hand in the slot in my wallet where the card resides. When the card is returned, I have to take the finger out to put the card away so I know I have it. I was standing at the register with my finger in my wallet so I knew without a doubt I didn't have the card.

 

Moral of the story, thieves are everywhere. Keep your eyes on your cards.

[J-BAR #18287]

Good tip. Proud of you for standing your ground.

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

Bravo Kris!

[Sedalia Dave]

Given the store's reaction I would follow up with a call to the local PD. Probably won't go anywhere but you never know.

 

You also might give corporate a call. Maybe they will take things more seriously.

[Utah Bob #35998]

Amazingly clumsy way to try to steal a card. I have a suspician it was either the first time she ever tried it or

she's just a really stupid employee.

[Blastmaster]

Good job in holding your ground until card was found. Good practice of holding your finger in card slot until returned.

 

Another reason to only use a Credit Card, rather than a Debit Card. With Credit Card, you can immediately notify bank of lose/stolen card and they will take it from there and not deduct your account.

[Blastmaster]

And then on the flip side, bravo to managers/clerks/waiters at stores/restraunts that hold your credit card for you, that you legitimately forgot to pickup after signing the ticket.,,, and there were no hanky panky charges on said card.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

She probably 'went on break' to go dispose of other cards she might have in her possession.....

 

She had been caught and wanted NO EVIDENCE of her actions.

 

 

..........Widder

[Dustin Checotah]

Maybe you should have called right there to cancel and say that the card was stolen at such and such store.

 

Dustin

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

Amazingly clumsy way to try to steal a card. I have a suspician it was either the first time she ever tried it or

she's just a really stupid employee.

You'd be surprised. This has become one of the most common reports we do these days, and I catch a large percentage of thieves without having to turn the case over to detectives.

[Cat Brules]

This has happened to us, too.

[Rye Miles #13621]

Good job Kris, I would have taken the gift card though! Why not? A little reward for your trouble!~

[Dubious Don #56333]

Amazingly clumsy way to try to steal a card. I have a suspician it was either the first time she ever tried it or

she's just a really stupid employee.

Nope, happens all the time. Like cash back. The cashier does a cash back, keeps the cash and hopes you don't notice. Seen that.

 

Retirement home, sweet little old lady "hides" almost two grand in her laundry basket. When the housekeeper leaves with the laundry, the money is also mysteriously missing. Instead of calling us AT THE TIME they waited until the afternoon. Suspect is long gone. They said they searched her/car, no joy. Other than take a report I can do little. A visit to said home of miscreant was dry. Big surprise, I'm the last person she wants to see!

 

A couple is the victim of a burglary. Burglars write checks on their account, might even have used their own names. Use their debit/credit cards at places with video. Now I got video. Amazing.

 

This sort of thing happens every day. Fraud costs us billions. Be aware and NEVER let your guard down.

[Alpo]

I'm amazed. Except for a restaurant, I can't think of any place I've been - in Florida, Alabama or Georgia - in the last ten years or so, where they take your card. It's all "No, you swipe it in the thing at the counter".

 

I would not have been calm. I would have bellowed, in my best "Drill Sergeant Parade Ground" voice, THIS EFFIN' CASHIER HAS STOLEN MY EFFIN' CREDIT CARD. I NEED AN EFFIN' MANAGER RIGHT EFFIN' HERE RIGHT EFFIN' NOW!!!!!

[Blastmaster]

Cashier was banking on the Customer not wanting to make a scene and/or being forgetful & having self doubt, thus leaving w/o card. In the end, the Cashier is free to try again on someone else. Nothing new.

 

A good reminder for all of us to evaluate our handling (be aware and focused of credit/debit cards with Cashiers.

[Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103]

Thank you for this heads-up!

[Calamity Kris]

Cashier was banking on the Customer not wanting to make a scene and/or being forgetful & having self doubt, thus leaving w/o card. In the end, the Cashier is free to try again on someone else. Nothing new.

 

A good reminder for all of us to evaluate our handling (be aware and focused of credit/debit cards with Cashiers.

 

Ding ding ding ding..... This was not her first rodeo. She seemed to be very experienced at distractions and pressuring you into thinking that maybe she did give you the card....... I was asked a couple of times if I checked my pockets to make sure I didn't slip it into a pocket by mistake. She was very good at the slight of hand because I didn't see it happen and I doubt the cameras over the registers would have caught it either. Come to think of it, the transaction was at a satellite register set up for the holidays. I don't think there were any cameras above it. I'm fairly quiet and shy so I'm not one to make a scene but I will stand my ground when I need to.

 

I would imagine the management person alerted the store Loss Prevention team {I did suggest it} so there was no need for me to involve the police. I'll let the store handle that. The part of this that floors me the most, I would be surprised if this gal was in her late 20s. Just imagine what a career path this is for her...... She must have quite a drug habit to feed.....

[Blastmaster]

 

Ding ding ding ding..... This was not her first rodeo. She seemed to be very experienced at distractions and pressuring you into thinking that maybe she did give you the card....... I was asked a couple of times if I checked my pockets to make sure I didn't slip it into a pocket by mistake. She was very good at the slight of hand because I didn't see it happen and I doubt the cameras over the registers would have caught it either. Come to think of it, the transaction was at a satellite register set up for the holidays. I don't think there were any cameras above it. I'm fairly quiet and shy so I'm not one to make a scene but I will stand my ground when I need to.

 

I would imagine the management person alerted the store Loss Prevention team {I did suggest it} so there was no need for me to involve the police. I'll let the store handle that. The part of this that floors me the most, I would be surprised if this gal was in her late 20s. Just imagine what a career path this is for her...... She must have quite a drug habit to feed.....

Don't count on management in most retail stores (unless they own it) to do anything about small theft. They were floor staff not to long ago themselves. Good chance that clerk was Christmas time seasonal help only and they have already have been released. She knew it and was maximizing her take during the season.

 

Criminals come in all age groups and backgrounds. They think they can get away with it,, and most of the time they do. Nothing new about that.

 

The more mature citizens are perceived to be and generally are easier targets.

 

Keep your guard up.

[Capt. R. Hugh Kidnme]

Don't count on management in most retail stores (unless they own it) to do anything about small theft. They were floor staff not to long ago themselves. Good chance that clerk was Christmas time seasonal help only and they have already have been released. She knew it and was maximizing her take during the season.

 

Criminals come in all age groups and backgrounds. They think they can get away with it,, and most of the time they do. Nothing new about that.

 

The more mature citizens are perceived to be and generally are easier targets.

 

Keep your guard up.

Hand up callers, we have a winner.

[Colt B.A. Blastn Johnson]

I trust no one always!......This means you build trust with me over time, or you never get any at all from me period!. Trust is earned, never given freely around my parts. And one saying is held higher than any other- "You want a friend, get a dog" Sad as all hell, but true!

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

I'm amazed. Except for a restaurant, I can't think of any place I've been - in Florida, Alabama or Georgia - in the last ten years or so, where they take your card. It's all "No, you swipe it in the thing at the counter".

 

I would not have been calm. I would have bellowed, in my best "Drill Sergeant Parade Ground" voice, THIS EFFIN' CASHIER HAS STOLEN MY EFFIN' CREDIT CARD. I NEED AN EFFIN' MANAGER RIGHT EFFIN' HERE RIGHT EFFIN' NOW!!!!!

What if you were wrong. You would have looked like an (I can't say that). Being calm and polite but firm like Kris would have won you the respect of those around you.

[Blastmaster]

What if you were wrong. You would have looked like an (I can't say that). Being calm and polite but firm like Kris would have won you the respect of those around you.

Would make me nervous if someone (customer) was going Postal in a store, even if he was saying what Alpo was saying.

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

Would make me nervous if someone (customer) was going Postal in a store, even if he was saying what Alpo was saying.

Me too. I think I'd duck for cover if someone was yelling those words as he said he would.

[Alpo]

Okay. You remain calm. I'll get my card back and the thief busted.

[Blastmaster]

Okay. You remain calm. I'll get my card back and the thief busted.

I am not a LEO, but have watch Judge Judy once. LOL.

 

I would think one would have to file a formal complain, down at the police station, with the police, of thief against the cashier. That would take hours if not days to process. Unless police found the card was in her possession, or evidence of her using it, then no charges could be imposed. If it be a shopping mall cop, then cashier could just misplace it on the counter/trash to clear themselves of possession.

 

Up to you if you would want to go down that bunny trail.

 

Let us now hear from the Wire retired LEO pards.

[Calamity Kris]

This was a BIG department store at a mall in one of the higher rent districts. I can almost guarantee if I had flagged down an LEO I would have been patted on the head and told to have a nice day. {There is a police substation at the mall to protect the clientele from the outsiders.} Without store Loss Prevention backing up my assertions, it would have been her word against mine and since I now possessed the card, the point would have been moot. The best I think I can hope for out of this is I caught her before she stole from anyone else. If the management person does report her, I can hope it goes into her HR record so she isn't picked up again next season. I do believe the manager was going to act on this because it is a blemish on the store and company to have an employee stealing from customers.

[Ramblin Gambler]

I do something similar with my wallet when I pay with a card. I just keep my wallet out and open as long as the card is out. I don't try to keep my finger on the slot where it was taken, but I do tend to keep it under my hand so no one takes it. Never had anyone try to steal my card, but I have had a couple of times where that practice kept me from leaving before they got back with it. In this situation, I think my version of 'making a scene' would have been to call the police. Attempted theft is a crime too, isn't it?

[Blastmaster]

I do something similar with my wallet when I pay with a card. I just keep my wallet out and open as long as the card is out. I don't try to keep my finger on the slot where it was taken, but I do tend to keep it under my hand so no one takes it. Never had anyone try to steal my card, but I have had a couple of times where that practice kept me from leaving before they got back with it. In this situation, I think my version of 'making a scene' would have been to call the police. Attempted theft is a crime too, isn't it?

I wonder what the response time by LE would be for possible thieft?

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

Another watch for it.....The cashier will add on $5/10/20 to the list of items they ring up. You sign it and leave. They somehow have a way to take the cash back out of the drawer.

Ike

[Cat Brules]

I wonder what the response time by LE would be for possible thieft?

 

Pretty darn quick if you intone the right passive aggressive language into your 911 call: Say the gist of the problem and don't let them keep you on the line......calmly and politely explain to the 911 person that they're now wasting time talking....please dispatch police support now, and to triage this as a P2 (out of P1, P2 or P3). Now hang up. Use your phone to photograph or video the thief right there, and other store employees who involve themselves.

 

No one likes a thief and there aren't too many nuts going to call in about something like this.

 

Remember what Kris did: DO NOT move out of the line so that they can continue with other customers and finesse you off the radar screen. Hold your ground, even when "the manager" shows up and tries to wheedle, bully, or otherwise threaten you out of your space. Let him call the police too. That s good...more heat on the thief. Stay calm, alert, polite and unapologetic to ANYone. You own that space until the store supervisor/manager (or the police) gets the thief to cough up your card or your cash. Don't move unless the police order you to. I personally do not consider the 911 person to be an authority unless he's a sworn officer. Most are not. (I'm honestly disinterested in what others consider their level of authority to be.)

 

I believe Kris did everything right, so that it didn't have to go the limit with police involvement.

I think we all should be proud of Kris for how she managed this problem AND for her sharing this incident it here. No telling how many others this thief took advantage of.

[Blastmaster]

Pretty darn quick if you intone the right passive aggressive language into your 911 call: Say the gist of the problem and don't let them keep you on the line......calmly and politely explain to the 911 person that they're now wasting time talking....please dispatch police support now, and to triage this as a P2 (out of P1, P2 or P3). Now hang up. Use your phone to photograph or video the thief right there, and other store employees who involve themselves.

 

No one likes a thief and there aren't too many nuts going to call in about something like this.

 

Remember what Kris did: DO NOT move out of the line so that they can continue with other customers and finesse you off the radar screen. Hold your ground, even when "the manager" shows up and tries to wheedle, bully, or otherwise threaten you out of your space. Let him call the police too. That s good...more heat on the thief. Stay calm, alert, polite and unapologetic to ANYone. You own that space until the store supervisor/manager (or the police) gets the thief to cough up your card or your cash. Don't move unless the police order you to. I personally do not consider the 911 person to be an authority unless he's a sworn officer. Most are not. (I'm honestly disinterested in what others consider their level of authority to be.)

 

I believe Kris did everything right, so that it didn't have to go the limit with police involvement.

I think we all should be proud of Kris for how she managed this problem AND for her sharing this incident it here. No telling how many others this thief took advantage of.

What is your definition of "pretty darn quick"? A quantitative value range please.

 

For us that have no idea what a P2 is,,, please explain.

 

This has been a good thread, I was much more aware of my handling of credit card at the checkout counters today.

[Calamity Kris]

Pretty darn quick if you intone the right passive aggressive language into your 911 call: Say the gist of the problem and don't let them keep you on the line......calmly and politely explain to the 911 person that they're now wasting time talking....please dispatch police support now, and to triage this as a P2 (out of P1, P2 or P3). Now hang up. Use your phone to photograph or video the thief right there, and other store employees who involve themselves.

 

No one likes a thief and there aren't too many nuts going to call in about something like this.

 

Remember what Kris did: DO NOT move out of the line so that they can continue with other customers and finesse you off the radar screen. Hold your ground, even when "the manager" shows up and tries to wheedle, bully, or otherwise threaten you out of your space. Let him call the police too. That s good...more heat on the thief. Stay calm, alert, polite and unapologetic to ANYone. You own that space until the store supervisor/manager (or the police) gets the thief to cough up your card or your cash. Don't move unless the police order you to. I personally do not consider the 911 person to be an authority unless he's a sworn officer. Most are not. (I'm honestly disinterested in what others consider their level of authority to be.)

 

I believe Kris did everything right, so that it didn't have to go the limit with police involvement.

I think we all should be proud of Kris for how she managed this problem AND for her sharing this incident it here. No telling how many others this thief took advantage of.

 

Thank you, sweetie. The only reason I posted this at all is to shine a light on the problem and help keep others from falling victim. That gal was really, really slick and I have no doubt other patrons lost their cards that day.