[AAAAA]

About an hour or so after I got to work today it came to my attention that a new co-work not in my department accused me of stealing a necklace from her purse. To my knowledge she's given two stories. 1) that she saw me take the necklace from her purse 2) that she discovered the necklace missing from her purse and saw me wear it to work the next day.

I was absolutely stunned, literally rendered speechless . Everyone around me was laughing hysterically because the mere thought was so unrealistic that if it hadn't been so insulting it would have been funny. Apparently the look on my face when told was priceless.

I asked which new person this was because about 10 new girls started the same time, and my immediate manager laughed harder, finding it funny a complete stranger would accuse me (she honestly meant no insult, she thought the whole thing was ludicrous). I said "well that doesn't matter, if I was a klepto, I don't think it would matter whose purse I was taking things from." At which point she doubled over. When the person in question was pointed out, I said "I've never even spoken to that girl before and she's been going out of her way being nice to me all day!"

It was very flattering to know that my General Manager didn't even concider for a second that I may have done this. And to find that even people I don't get along with were outraged at the accusation. They may think I'm a *****, but at least they know I'm an honest one lol.

But what a violation! How in the heck did she pick my name out of all the employees there and decide I did it? I never leave my work station. I've worked there a year and have only used the bathroom a handful of times, never since she's worked there. So I never even had the opportunity. I don't wear jewelry, so her theory that she saw me wearing it is impossible. Well the whole thing is impossible because I didn't do it. How does a person pick a random stranger and accuse them of stealing? There is no one at work that is similiar in appearance, so it couldn't be mistaken identity.

I KNOW no one took this seriously, but I still found myself waiting for my co-workers at the end of our shift to walk to where our coats and things are kept so I'd be in a group and I was even more angry at myself for that.

[lynn P.]

That is a very bizarre story and so sorry this happened to you. If she saw you take it out of her purse - why wouldn't she stop you. If she saw you wearing it - why wouldn't she confront you personally. Why did she feel it necessary to air this in front of everyone. She sounds unstable and is a trouble maker I think. This must be so upsetting for you.

[AAAAA]

I didn't even concider that! If I came across someone going through my stuff, I would absolutely say something! And if I lost a necklace or thought someone took it and discovered someone wearing it the next day I would make a comment like hey, I used to have a necklace like that.

SO many things make no sense. It was very humiliating. At first I was a bit offended that everyone thought it was so funny, but thinking about it now, I would have liked it less if they'd been somber and serious.

I don't need everyone to like me, or even understand me, I just cannot comprehend attacking someone else's character like that. She hasn't worked there long and I immediately tried to come up with some reason, some behavior that might have given her (at this point I didn't even know who she was) the impression that this type of an accusation might be believable.

There are two places that we leave our personal items, the employee break room and a part of the storage area that has the coat racks. The employee bathroom is off the break room, which I why I mentioned that I rarely use the facilities there. There are employees that disappear for periods of time and hang out in the break room when not on break or hide out in the storage room. But I just concider them lazy lol, I cannot even come up with a co-worker that I would suspect of such a thing. Both of these areas are very open and visable. There are people walking through non-stop.

The one thing that did strike me very funny immediately is that when my son hear of this he said "my mom doesn't wear jewelry, she doesn't even wear make-up." LOL I have not idea what his thought process is, but somehow the fact I don't wear makeup proved absolutely I could not be guilty. What does that have to do with anything? LOL

[I_WMD]

The one thing that did strike me very funny immediately is that when my son hear of this he said "my mom doesn't wear jewelry, she doesn't even wear make-up." LOL I have not idea what his thought process is, but somehow the fact I don't wear makeup proved absolutely I could not be guilty. What does that have to do with anything? LOL

Has to giggle >>>... they go hand in hand >>> duh /// hehe.

WMD.

I must admit to giggling (sorry) its just that I know your honesty ! Lol

Since you know that you didn't do it and since your co workers know the same its not as bad as it could of been .....

Imagine if you had been met by stony silent stares ! Now that would of been terrible !

Hugs to you I am really sorry that (giggle) this happened to you but it is still amusing and one day you will see the funny side I promise !

[Sabrina]

Have you approached her to ask her why she decided she would falsely blame you? What she did is just plain wrong and she should be called up for it!

[babypee]

Thats very very odd, and I'm sorry but I did laugh a little at the general madness of that woman!!! Dont worry about it, lucky for you your manager knows you didnt do it!

[AAAAA]

I did concider confronting the woman, and almost did at one point. It turned out that it was a good thing I did not because I almost confronted the wrong person. Until the end of the day I wasn't absolutely positve which girl it was and when another girl walked by I was going to ask her if she was mental or something.

It's just so ironic, ME of all people. When one young co-worker was having allergy problems I went and bought him a nettipot and brought it back to him so he would have it immediately. When I discovered another didn't even have a bed, we were planning on buying the twins new ones anyway, so I gave him Andy's bed and linens. I don't have lamps in my livingroom right now because three young co-workers moved into a new house that did not have any light fixtures in their new livingroom and they came over in the middle of the night (while moving) and took them. I make sure that there are burn pads, ibuprophen and other OTC meds in the first aid kit at work.

I can't help but wonder what the heck I did to make this girl accuse ME.

[Timgt5]

Sorry you went through that with a co-worker. I would not understand her motivation either. I am just glad you had a good manager with which you had trust and solid relationship that knew better.

[KathyM]

LOL AAAAA - Why you little, THIEF, you!

I had a patient's mother accuse me once of stealing her insurance payment to the hospital. She nearly broke my eardrum screaming into the phone, threatening a lawsuit - or worse. I high-tailed it over to the hospital business office and after much searching was able to track down the check. She apologized for accusing me - I refrained from nearly breaking her eardrum in return.

[pegasus]

Hugs to you (((((((( AAAAA )))))))))

That's an awful thing to go through but I hope in time that you will see from the way your colleagues reacted that they absolutely knew that you couldn't have done this. That is a real compliment to you, their judgement of your character meant they could see how ridiculous the accusation was!

I hope the Manager has a word with the person that said that and puts her straight!

[Zorah]

((((((AAAAA)))))
we must admit we giggled a little too, especially about your son's comment

we have met many mad people like this in workplaces over the years, some of them are very strange, one of them wanted our position (which she wasn't qualified for) & said she was gonna have her bf & mates, who were bouncers, beat us up in the car park
we tried to point out as calmly as possible that this would still not get her our job *sighs*
it did make us awfully nervous walking to our car though, lol.

some ppl are just weird, honey, no use trying to make sense of their actions, if you try to imagine how they are thinking it can be quite bad for your own mind, lol

[billieJ]

What a bizarre day, indeed. I'm sorry this happened to you, and I know you did not find it funny at all, but you were so witty in telling it that I had to laugh. If you know who the culprit is, why not confront her in a nonconfrontive manner. E.g. "I heard the funniest story. Several people told me that you said . . . . . It seems like you would feel better, providing it IS the right person. In the meantime, it's good that your supervisor and others who know you found this funny. billieJ

[possum220]

Sounds like your employer has taken on a trouble maker. I doubt that she will be working there for long.

Relax.... Its not about you - its her.

[AAAAA]

Thanks everyone, I think she is a very troubled young woman but she didn't get the positve reaction she was looking for (ie, poor victim) so I don't think she'll be causing this type of touble anymore. Although predicting the behavior of someone that unstable is impossible.