tenant stole her rent !!

[Joe Paoletta]

All, 

I have my tenant's drop off rent to my small business. The employees provide a receipt and i collect later... Well this evening a tenant stole back her rent. 

My daughter (20) was working the store this evening when a tenant dropped off her rent. My daughter counted the money, wrote a receipt... During a brief distraction the rent and the receipt were gone.  they were alone. 

Of course my kid wouldn't steal from me... the tenant is playing dumb..."no i don't have it"... her background check was clean when i took her on.

i believe she grabbed it (either by error or on purpose) 

i know i'm screwed on this one..

she is on a short term lease (she's like 4-5 months into a 6 mo) which i will not renew...  

i've been at this 24 years and have my share of crappy tenents... but this is a first

ive always accepted any form of payment. maybe its time for check or money orders only 

any thoughts ?   

joe

[Patrick M.]

If someone steals from me I file a police report. 

I would have contacted the tenant and told her to check her purse, that the security footage in the store shows her picking up the rent you assume inadvertently. She needs to drop it back off to the store or you will be heading down to the police station.

I don’t know what the distraction was? 

I used to work in a restaurant where tenants would regularly come in to pay their rent in cash. The daughters were great but the son was always looking for a skim or to lift the full sum.