Family members who steal
 

Here's a new one for me I wasn't expecting.

My fiancee and I are in the process of starting up a salon. We've purchased an existing salon including various inventory (makeup/hair products, etc).

The salon will open in two weeks- recently we've had my fiancee's family over to check it out. When her mother came to the salon, she commented on some makeup she liked.

Long story short, my fiancee is 99% sure her mother took about $70 worth of product from the salon. Obviously $70 isn't going to make or break us, but WTF?? Any ideas on how to handle this one?

Note a few things:

My fiancee has had issues with her mother in the past. She knows if she confronts her, her mother will deny she took them, and blow up at the accusation.

To make things much more interesting, her mother is supposed to be working at the salon.

Her mother is under the false impression we're rich. While we do have a nice house and nice things, we've worked hard to achieve them and have the bills to back them up.

She has a vendetta against "big, faceless corporations", and regularly finds loopholes and writes letters to acquire free products. We also know she views her daughter as a "rich, stuck up snob."- at least that's what she tells her grandson (my fiancee's son) behind her back.

Beyond the obvious answers (not having her work in the salon, cutting ties with her mother)- realistically this will not happen. Thoughts? [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Re: Family members who steal
 

Either come up with a plausible reason not to have her work in the salon and stick to it no matter how much trouble, or give her a makeup "benefit" of $50 a month in addition to her wage with the full expectation that it will actually be $100 with a further 5 finger discount by her. Just be sure to adjust her wage down from what you would otherwise pay to make up for it. However even that is ducking the issue. She sounds like a very negative person who will not put on the best customer service face for your business.

Re: Family members who steal
 

Watch her like a ****ing hawk.

Either she'll stop stealing or you'll catch her red-handed.

Re: Family members who steal
 

Have a security camera pointed near the merchendise. After she denies, showing a video will be quite satisfying. Plus it may prevent her from stealing anyways.

Re: Family members who steal
 

If she wasn't your mother-in-law and you knew that she talked crap about you behind your back and stole would you hire her?

She thinks your rich, she tells your son that your wife is rich and stuck up and she's already stolen from you. Will she hesitate to tell the same or worse to customers?

Your wife really is the lynchpin here. You're expected to have a problem with mom-in-law [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Family members who steal
 

I like the video surveillance idea. You could even go so far as to set up a trap for her so it would be easier to catch her in the act. She obviously has issues with her mother, but money is money, and that situation should be dealt with swiftly.

Re: Family members who steal
 

[ QUOTE ]
Beyond the obvious answers (not having her work in the salon, cutting ties with her mother)- realistically this will not happen. Thoughts? [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Why is it unrealistic to consider not having her work at the salon?

Re: Family members who steal
 

It's her mom. Just have your wife tell her to feel free to take anything she needs, just please log it so you can track your inventory.

Knowing women, I wouldn't doubt it if she already told her mom that but finds it easier to just tell you her mom steals.

Re: Family members who steal
 

The lady is damaged goods. Tell your wife how you feel, and if she disagrees, rewrite your marriage contract -- because she is also damaged goods. This is basic.

Re: Family members who steal
 

Call up a guy named Jerry Springer, i'm sure he can help you guys come to a solution.