Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: JamesV6CDX on 02 December 2008, 21:17:23
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I emailed my boss. I send her pictures of the severe damage to the locking drawers on my desk, and told her I thought there had been a security breach and asked her advice on how to proceed.
She emailed back, and said to me "we were looking for something while you were off sick. We thought it might be in your drawer, so *** pulled your drawer to see if it was unlocked, and it came open in his hand.
My opinion of that?
Utter rubbish.
The metal part of the lock has been bent by considerable force, and on top of that there are clear marks where an implement (such as a big screwdriver) has been used to force it open.
I've taken photo's of it all, and written a little personal "statement" I have saved, in case I ever need it.
Not sure where to go from here. She apologises profusely and says the draw was only lightly pulled to see if an item was in there.
I can tell otherwise. It's been forced open with some considerable effort.
What shall I do... just keep hold of the pics, keep my notes and keep quiet? Or... take it further?
I must say, the people involved were like cats on hot coal, after I sent the pictures of the "break in" around our area department, asking if anyone knew anything...
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i would go further if you are sure she lying, obviously something to hide
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I may ask to see the security manager in confidence, and ask for his opinion... or possibly a HR advisor... :-/
I don't think a criminal offence has been commited, but I do feel a little bit violated.
Don't get me wrong, if it was made clear from day 1 they were open to everyone, I would be fine about this - but I was given keys, and told it was my personal space - so I'm not happy....
Reason for edit - I Can't spell!
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Lol, knowing the monkey metal they make those desk locks out of..........it would not surprise me in the least! ;D
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Lol, knowing the monkey metal they make those desk locks out of..........it would not surprise me in the least! ;D
It did cross my mind - but I tried pulling a locked drawer on a simelar (unused) cabinet, and it was taking some real force, and not breaking.
End of the day, I don't simply believe he tried to open it with no force. I can see the screwdriver marks, and can see where it's been pryed about...
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Make a hard copy of all email traffic with the pictures.
Make a request for the damaged items to be repaired/replaced as needed.
You have the moral high ground now KEEP IT.
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I would speak to HR/Security and explain your concerns...mention your extra-curricular activities to make it clear you know what you are talking about
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You could start a poll on this one!
I would keep all your evidence as you might need it later.
Did she find what she was looking for? I doubt it which shows she is prepared to lie and she can't backtrack now. Hopefully she now knows she has been caught and will turn her attentions to someone else. If further incidents occur at least you have some ammunition to take to her superiors.
Put it down to experience and go about your business as normal is my advice.
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Did she actually state what they were looking for?
If so what were the chances of it being in your drawers?
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To be honest, it would not bother me one bit.
I certainly would not be bothered by it but, I don't keep anything of value at work.....in fact I don't lock my desk, filing cabinet or cupboard.
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Make a hard copy of all email traffic with the pictures.
Make a request for the damaged items to be repaired/replaced as needed.
You have the moral high ground now KEEP IT.
Agreed. I would also make a report of everything that's happened and lodge it with the HR department. If things are turning nasty for some reason there needs to be an independant record of events.
Kevin
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Make a hard copy of all email traffic with the pictures.
Make a request for the damaged items to be repaired/replaced as needed.
You have the moral high ground now KEEP IT.
Agreed. I would also make a report of everything that's happened and lodge it with the HR department. If things are turning nasty for some reason there needs to be an independant record of events.
Kevin
The strange thing is, my boss couldn't go out of her way enough to promise me it was totally innocent.
But, when I asked other colleagues what happened, they said "no idea" even though I later discovered they were present when it was forced.
As for the guy that did it - I don't trust him as far as I could throw him. He's the most unhelpful selfish and spiteful sod I know.
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Make a hard copy of all email traffic with the pictures.
Make a request for the damaged items to be repaired/replaced as needed.
You have the moral high ground now KEEP IT.
Agreed. I would also make a report of everything that's happened and lodge it with the HR department. If things are turning nasty for some reason there needs to be an independant record of events.
Kevin
The strange thing is, my boss couldn't go out of her way enough to promise me it was totally innocent.
But, when I asked other colleagues what happened, they said "no idea" even though I later discovered they were present when it was forced.
As for the guy that did it - I don't trust him as far as I could throw him. He's the most unhelpful selfish and spiteful sod I know.
The fact that they are behaving like this indicates that something odd is afoot, IMHO.
If I got in to work and my boss had had urgent need to accesss something he'd suspected to be in my drawers, hadn't been able to contact me and had to break into it, I would expect him to be honest about it. It's a reasonable thing to do IMHO. Denying all knowledge of it indicates something they are trying to hide.
If I were you I would keep everything personal at home and everything work related at work in future. You never know what can happen to your belongings at work. I only have to look at the muppets they employ as cleaners in our place to relaise this. They have a track record of helping themselves to our mobile phones for a start... >:(
Kevin
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if you take it further, will they start to think you actually have something to hide?
I'd have another chat to the boss face to face and ask what part of this guy's metal finger nail damaged the lock!!
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Make a hard copy of all email traffic with the pictures.
Make a request for the damaged items to be repaired/replaced as needed.
You have the moral high ground now KEEP IT.
Agreed. I would also make a report of everything that's happened and lodge it with the HR department. If things are turning nasty for some reason there needs to be an independant record of events.
Kevin
The strange thing is, my boss couldn't go out of her way enough to promise me it was totally innocent.
But, when I asked other colleagues what happened, they said "no idea" even though I later discovered they were present when it was forced.
As for the guy that did it - I don't trust him as far as I could throw him. He's the most unhelpful selfish and spiteful sod I know.
One telling thing is that you had to ask, she didn't tell you as soon as possible after you were both in
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Make a hard copy of all email traffic with the pictures.
Make a request for the damaged items to be repaired/replaced as needed.
You have the moral high ground now KEEP IT.
Agreed. I would also make a report of everything that's happened and lodge it with the HR department. If things are turning nasty for some reason there needs to be an independant record of events.
Kevin
The strange thing is, my boss couldn't go out of her way enough to promise me it was totally innocent.
But, when I asked other colleagues what happened, they said "no idea" even though I later discovered they were present when it was forced.
As for the guy that did it - I don't trust him as far as I could throw him. He's the most unhelpful selfish and spiteful sod I know.
The fact that they are behaving like this indicates that something odd is afoot, IMHO.
If I got in to work and my boss had had urgent need to accesss something he'd suspected to be in my drawers, hadn't been able to contact me and had to break into it, I would expect him to be honest about it. It's a reasonable thing to do IMHO. Denying all knowledge of it indicates something they are trying to hide.
If I were you I would keep everything personal at home and everything work related at work in future. You never know what can happen to your belongings at work. I only have to look at the muppets they employ as cleaners in our place to relaise this. They have a track record of helping themselves to our mobile phones for a start... >:(
Kevin
The strange thing is - there was nothing they could really use against me in a work environment.
Things like personal bank statements, although personal, can't really be used against me at work.
She said they were looking for my laptop because they couldn't get any PCs to run visual basic, despite the fact that I'd been clearly told to keep my laptop at home...
I still don't buy it, and I don't buy it wasn't a forced entry.
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if you take it further, will they start to think you actually have something to hide?
It would be up to them to prove that, with nothing evidential at all - photo's of a forced cabinet are not so easily argued with, especially after emails telling me it was just "pulled open"...
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I guess you'll never know what really happened or what their motives are but you need to keep the moral high ground, as said. Make sure there's nothing they could pin on you while you follow up other employment opportunities. :(
Kevin
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I would look for a new job asap James.I have had stuff like this (and much worse)at work,its very difficult to beat even though you know you have done nothing wrong and it can really eat you up inside.
Life,s too short,if you can find something else,leave them to it.
Just my tuppence worth etc;
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Why would you keep your bank statements in your office drawer :question
Can't help thinking you are making a mountain out of a molehill ::)
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mention your extra-curricular activities to make it clear you know what you are talking about
The guy that broke in has a huge amount of disrespect for what I do - I regularly hear comments about "Pretend Police" and "bloody volunteers" that are useless.
I expect mentioning that would just make me look like I'm abusing position, or throwing my weight around... I'm inclined to keep the two occupations very seperate :-/
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Why would you keep your bank statements in your office drawer :question
Can't help thinking you are making a mountain out of a molehill ::)
Quite possibly I am Mike. Hence why I'm asking other views ;)
Why do I keep things in my drawer? Usually, because I grab them on the way out of the house, and open them at work, before I'm due to start.
They then end up in my "filing system..." ;D
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mention your extra-curricular activities to make it clear you know what you are talking about
The guy that broke in has a huge amount of disrespect for what I do - I regularly hear comments about "Pretend Police" and "bloody volunteers" that are useless.
I expect mentioning that would just make me look like I'm abusing position, or throwing my weight around... I'm inclined to keep the two occupations very seperate :-/
Most definitely separate things James... Best no to mix them IMO :y :y
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mention your extra-curricular activities to make it clear you know what you are talking about
The guy that broke in has a huge amount of disrespect for what I do - I regularly hear comments about "Pretend Police" and "bloody volunteers" that are useless.
I expect mentioning that would just make me look like I'm abusing position, or throwing my weight around... I'm inclined to keep the two occupations very seperate :-/
Most definitely separate things James... Best no to mix them IMO :y :y
Absolutely... :y
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Are you in stealth mode tonight?
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I would look for a new job asap James.I have had stuff like this (and much worse)at work,its very difficult to beat even though you know you have done nothing wrong and it can really eat you up inside.
Life,s too short,if you can find something else,leave them to it.
Just my tuppence worth etc;
Yeah, something political is going on, don't wait to find out, get out soon. Your being feed rubbish. Systems like "proper investigation", "people responsible" etc don't happen in that sort of organisation. Its a different world. Get out while the going's good.
Ken
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cause and consequences..
when you were decisionless about the job and you tried give up , they
were curious whats going on..
now, it reminds me about what Jereboam tell..
but from the things you tell, I feel still the boss cant decide about you..
so, what will happen from now on purely depends on your relations
with the boss.. but be prepared also..
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Why would you keep your bank statements in your office drawer :question
Can't help thinking you are making a mountain out of a molehill ::)
Quite possibly I am Mike. Hence why I'm asking other views ;)
Why do I keep things in my drawer? Usually, because I grab them on the way out of the house, and open them at work, before I'm due to start.
They then end up in my "filing system..." ;D
Tend to agree with Mikes comments!
James my advice to you is to keep your personal stuff, particularly bank statements, at home. Surely your mail can wait till you get home if you are that much of a rush in the mornings. :-?
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If this happened to me I would definitely utilise the company grievance procedure - this type of behaviour cannot be condoned in a work place. You should carefully follow the procedure to ensure that not just you - but others are not subject to an invasion of privacy in the future particularly where other colleagues were present and are not saying anything. An enquiry is your right in these circumstances given that it has already been admitted that they attempted to get in the drawer. A disciplinary issue has definitely been created and at least an enquiry will reveal why a person you do not get on with was the one to actually open the drawer. If you do decide to invoke a grievance system it will be a wake up call to all concerned. I say this without knowing the full facts obviously but hope it helps.
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If this happened to me I would definitely utilise the company grievance procedure - this type of behaviour cannot be condoned in a work place. You should carefully follow the procedure to ensure that not just you - but others are not subject to an invasion of privacy in the future particularly where other colleagues were present and are not saying anything. An enquiry is your right in these circumstances given that it has already been admitted that they attempted to get in the drawer. A disciplinary issue has definitely been created and at least an enquiry will reveal why a person you do not get on with was the one to actually open the drawer. If you do decide to invoke a grievance system it will be a wake up call to all concerned. I say this without knowing the full facts obviously but hope it helps.
It is a company set of drawers, not a personal locker..... ::) ::) ::)
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If this happened to me I would definitely utilise the company grievance procedure - this type of behaviour cannot be condoned in a work place. You should carefully follow the procedure to ensure that not just you - but others are not subject to an invasion of privacy in the future particularly where other colleagues were present and are not saying anything. An enquiry is your right in these circumstances given that it has already been admitted that they attempted to get in the drawer. A disciplinary issue has definitely been created and at least an enquiry will reveal why a person you do not get on with was the one to actually open the drawer. If you do decide to invoke a grievance system it will be a wake up call to all concerned. I say this without knowing the full facts obviously but hope it helps.
It is a company set of drawers, not a personal locker..... ::) ::) ::)
Been there, done that....
Its the firms locker/drawer/cupboard. If they want in, they will enter, no comebacks from you.....
Trick shown to me by an elder colleague, if you store 'personal' stuff within, is to ensure its also got a good photoshop (or photocopy or falsified carbon copy, depending on your age/technology of the time) of some firms nosey git - generally the office ringpiece that you have to work beside - is in there at the same time in a suitably compromising situation.....
Smokescreen is a recognised military defence, apparently!! ;D
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It is a company set of drawers, not a personal locker..... ::) ::) ::)
Been there, done that....
Its the firms locker/drawer/cupboard. If they want in, they will enter, no comebacks from you.....
Trick shown to me by an elder colleague, if you store 'personal' stuff within, is to ensure its also got a good photoshop (or photocopy or falsified carbon copy, depending on your age/technology of the time) of some firms nosey git - generally the office ringpiece that you have to work beside - is in there at the same time in a suitably compromising situation.....
Smokescreen is a recognised military defence, apparently!! ;D
:y :y
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James - just insist that the damage is put right and that you get a new set of drawers or desk (whatever is damaged) - hopefully your boss will then have to justify this un-budgeted expense and explain to her boss why this she is ordering expensive office furniture.
As for the guy that broke into it - just take a pic of his pen collection dipped in the office toilet then send him the pic one day when he is chewing on the end of one - using an anonomous yahoo account :)
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Until you are completely satisfied that there is nothing suspicious going on, I'd be very careful with Emails and Browsing. :y