Cash missing... suspect cleaner... how to handle?

[Zippy]

The problem is that you haven't actually caught her doing anything other than being nosy. The owner will deny that his staff have been thieving and you have no grounds to withold payment.
Leave a fiver in your wallet and try again.

(and nail down the iPad)

[doodab]

Catch her in the act, tell the owner and tell him you expect the missing cash plus fees to be refunded. If it's his missus be prepared to phone the police and have her taken away in cuffs.

[d000hg]

Well, we have her definitely going through my wallet. And two cases of money going missing (my wife noticed some Euros are missing from a bookshelf today) without seeing anyone take it. So in my mind it's pretty clear and since we have no wish to involve the cops the simple fact that she went through my wallet is grounds to can them. If money hadn't gone missing it isn't maybe enough, but it has.

And kingcook, she's pretty ugly.

[MyUserName]

Hang on - before you confront anyone with anything check whether it is legal to record people like that, if not you could shoot yourself royaly in the foot!

If it is then, as people said, use a honey trap. Record it and show it to the business owner. Do not just stop using the company without explaining as she will just keep stealing from other people.
Maybe she is doing it already and they just have not noticed?

[NotAllThere]

You can video anyone on your own property or in public without their permission, but there's a chance it wouldn't be admissible in court. You personally though do not incur liability by recording someone.

[MyUserName]

You can video anyone on your own property without their permission, but it may well not be admissible in court.

That should be okay then, I would have thought that the OP was intending court action.

Anyway, excuse me I have to put some video recording equipment up in my female lodger's room.

[mudskipper]

I'd agree - you need to catch her taking money, otherwise it's just a nosey cleaner. Doesn't stop you canning the firm, but does make it difficult for them to take further action if that's what they want to do.

[Support Monkey]

I would call the cops

If you just stop using them who is to say they are not doing the same thing to some poor old pensioner who can ill afford to lose any money

[kingcook]

Leave a fiver in your wallet and try again.

I'd leave more than a fiver. The cleaner may not take one note alone. I'd try 3 or 4 fivers. She might be more inclined to take 1 or 2 then.

[psychocandy]

Don't get me started on cleaners...

Fortunate enough not to have any who've robbed us but getting the buggers to turn up / stay for the time you've paid them is a nightmare. Heard every excuse under the sun for not turning up. One, I'm sure, just used to turn up when she was a bit skint that week. She even said she couldn't come because she was painting her living room one day.

Another one we caught turning up about 30 mins late and then leaving 30 mins early. And we sussed her twice doing this. (We paid for 2 hours and were getting 1 hour).

Even had one who turned up when we were on hols when we told her not to come (no-one had been there all week) and take the money we'd left for the following week when we were back (reckon she left the car running outside, came in, took the money and left). When we asked here why she did this she immediately quit!

On 3rd one now and shes about to get the boot. Started off ok but seems to be shaving a bit off the start by turning up late and then still leaving early. Seems to be common trick this - might try it with my client and see if I can get away with 11am starts and 3pm finish (what do you reckon will happen?)

Can't trust any of them. Used to have a bit of sympathy for people who ended up being cleaners but I realise that some of them ain't got jobs doing something better (or more well-paid) because they just can't be relied on.