I have a dilemma- what would you do?

[shoemad]

Some weeks ago, I found three twenty pound notes on the floor of a supermarket. I handed them in at customer services and they wrote it down in a book, took my details and said they would let me know if the money was claimed.
Last week, my husband was in the store and went to ask what had happened. The staff said there was no record of any money being handed in.
Then another assistant came over and said she remembered the incident but that ten minutes after I handed the money in, a man came and claimed it.
She said that she gave him my details so that he could thank me.
I find it suspicious that there is no record of me handing in the money and am thinking of writing to the manager. If staff have taken the money, then it seems to make a mockery of my honesty.
However, is it worth someone potentially losing their job for the sake of £60?

[Mick-Talbot]

I wonder if police stations get the same people turning up trying to claim they have lost money?

[Marijn]

How could they know when it was found, how much it was, and particularly WHERE it was found though?

[LoftyLottie]

Unfortunately, in our rural area most police stations are now closed or open for only a few hours a day :o(.

[LoftyLottie]

Not so long ago I lost my purse in Kings Lynn with all my cards, cash - in fact everything in it. I drove to the police station where it had just been handed in. It had been found on a pavement in the town. The person who found it wanted to remain anonymous. Everything was still inside the purse, including the money.

[Marijn]

Last time I found some money, it was £70 I didn't need to hand it in as they took all the details over the phone and said to hang on to it. They would keep a record and contact me if the owner contacted them.
Mick, you don't need to go into the police station to enquire about your lost money, just phone them up with the details.

[Ellipsis]

> I find it suspicious that there is no record of me handing in the money and am thinking of writing to the manager

Yes, you definitely should. It would be useful for them to know that they possibly/probably have some dishonest staff in their store.

You need not worry about anybody losing their job for this. Nobody is going to lose their job, because there's no evidence of anything. The fact there's no evidence is part of the problem that the store has.

The store manager needs to take a look at their processes. For example, as VHG suggests, using a "mystery shopper" to hand in money, see if they're given a receipt and seeing whether anybody claims it might make people think twice about pocketing cash that doesn't belong to them. Your letter could prompt the store manager to put this system in place (or remind them that it already should be!).

[shoemad]

Thank you for all your comments.
Looking back, perhaps I should have gone to a police station.
I'm going to take Ellipsis's advice and write to the manager, if only to get it off my chest. Makes me feel like an idiot for being honest and I don't want to feel that way.

[B00]

Id still personally let it go. It's just not worth getting stressed or spending any time over.

you'll probably never get to the bottom of it anyway.

[Mosaic]

The money has resumed its karmic journey. You gained good karma by your actions - let what others choose be their choice and fate. Do something positive with the time you might have spent getting annoyed over it.

[joko]

i am actually quite amazed that anyone would go and ask at a police station or a customer service desk if they lost notes - i would just assume ive dropped it and its gone, and thats that.

i would speak to the manager - its unlikely that the man who lost it just so happening to ask a few minutes after you handed it in ... if she assistant is telling the truith then she can tell her manager

i wouldnt be a bit surprised if you receive a phone call from 'the man' thanking you for retunring his cash tonight ... or rather the girls dad or boyfriend or someone...

[chaptazbru]

I think I'd let it go and just put it down to experience, I'd wouldn't be happy though !

[B00]

Me neither Chaps, id be spitting feathers that id been so honest and others may not have been in that instance. But nowt will come of it, all shoemad can expect is to get given the runaround and for what? It's not even her money.

Let it go :-)

[chaptazbru]

Yes BOO, annoying, but true.

[Ellipsis]

Definitely from a personal POV let it go.

My response was more to do with making your supermarket better. It's not nice to think of it as being staffed by dishonest people - people who have stolen that £60 from you or its rightful owner, both of whom were admittedly foolish enough to place it in their hands (the latter via you).

If you're wound up enough to write a letter, then writing that letter could help you and the supermarket. If they choose to take no notice, that's their problem and you might choose to shop elsewhere. But it's definitely not worth getting wound up over ...

[Brinjal]

My daughter left a small wallet containing credit cards, drivers license and $100.00 at the security check when leaving Zimbabwe. She texted from transit in south Africa in a panic. I dashed to the airport and was told to check at lost property. Sure enough the wallet was there all intact including cash. For Zimbabwe this is quite incredible. The man also said that he had looked her up on Facebook and left a message for her. I was seriously impressed.

[LoftyLottie]

Agree with Ellipsis, i.e. it might improve the Supermarket procedure. They should have been able to trace in writing when you handed it in.