Cleaning lady steals from me -- can I go to the cops?

[Paluka]

I would go to the cops.

[tonypaladino]

It can't hurt to file a report with the cops, but I doubt much will come over it. It's petty theft since there's only proof she stole $200.

Edit:

And I'm not sure how the video from the store is proof. Does the camera get so close that you can actually see the numbers on the gift card to prove it was yours? Or can they actually sync up their register journal with the video?

[ QUOTE ]
It can't hurt to file a report with the cops, but I doubt much will come over it. It's petty theft since there's only proof she stole $200.

Edit:

And I'm not sure how the video from the store is proof. Does the camera get so close that you can actually see the numbers on the gift card to prove it was yours? Or can they actually sync up their register journal with the video?


[/ QUOTE ]

It's actually pretty incredible. Nordstrom has their stuff all synched up. They have on video every purchase, and they can identify the gift card used at any purchase. I have no doubts that their video is fine evidence. It would have been highly, highly coincidental that we asked them about gift card number 1, and they pulled out the supposed video for that gift card and it was this battle axe buying something.

[SheetWise]

At least be consistent. Since you obviously take the law very lightly, you can't now try to use the law as your ally. You live by the law, you die by the law - so be consistent. Shoot her.

[Blarg]

The fact that immigration might get involved looks like a NEGATIVE to you? Wow. We don't need our own crooks, much less those from other countries. Getting her deported would be a boon and at least for a while keep her from stealing from her next employer, which of course is exactly what she will do for as many years as she can do it.

As said above, cops don't do taxes.

As said above also, you're primarily chasing the $100. If you pursue this, it's on a moral basis. In that case I think it's more immoral not to pursue it than to pursue it, so you have "right" on your side. Especially pertinant to your doing the right thing is that whether the courts recognize the other part of the thousand she stole or not, she did indeed steal it, so she's not just a minor thief here and it's not really just about a hundred bucks at all.

So the question basically is whether you will lose any money trying to get this prosecuted, and whether it is worth it to you. Spending any time in court at all could easily cost you much more than $100, and courts can't really force her to pay even if she is convicted. So it's about right and wrong more than money, because the money is basically forever gone. If right and wrong is important to you even if it costs you money, your decision is a clear one. If you want to be practical but maybe shirk both your right and perhaps your moral duty, pursuing this thing is just going to cost you more time and money and in the parlance of a certain card game not to be mentioned, is "throwing good money after bad."

Personal/community obligations/moral or practical. Unfortunately you can't accomplish both here.