On 8/3/2013 12:53 PM, Vic Smith wrote:
On Sat, 03 Aug 2013 07:39:12 -0400, Frank
wrote:



Thread reminds me of random checks we would go through being stopped at
the gate and guard having us pop our car trunk so he could inspect it.


Random probably let's a lot get through. I worked at IH for years and
every day carried out my coveralls for washing. Dirty job.
My wife would wash them all in the wringer machine once a week.
So I ended up with 5 sets when I quit.
Those were damn good coveralls, and cost about 50 bucks today.
I used them for many years after.
Didn't think about that then, and they didn't either.
Pretty much how I'd come home from office work with a company pen or
marker in my pocket and they'd pile up until I made it a habit to
leave them at work.

Anyway, I carried the coveralls in, and out in a shopping bag with my
other dirty clothes, as I always showered and put on my clean clothes
from my locker before walking out.
The gate guard would always ask me to hold the bag up and open so he
could see inside. Never hefted it, but it was just a cheap paper
shopping bag, so it couldn't hold anything heavy, and he could see it
wasn't lined with canvas.
I noticed the guards would randomly open the metal lunchboxes some
guys carried. I always brown-bagged.
One day somebody says, "You hear about Joe? Guard caught him with a
load of copper in his lunchbox. Fired."

This Joe guy was a pretty highly paid machinist. Had about 20 years
in, and IH had a sweet retirement program.
I remember thinking WTF? How can anybody be so stupid?
I don't understand the thief mentality on several levels.
Though copper was pretty cheap then, I guess it was easy to sell.
Or maybe Joe's hobby was copper working. Don't know.
Thing is, the risk/reward was all out of whack.

OTOH, I'm not saying I'm perfect either. Did some of my own thieving
when I was a machine mechanic. Took about 10 each of maybe 3 small
sizes of nuts/bolts. 1/4, 5/16, 3/8. A few different lengths, along
with flat and lock washers for them. Put them in my parts arsenal and
they came in handy over the years. Wasn't the money, as that wasn't a
hill of beans. Just the convenience. Still stealing when you get
down to it.

The biggest difference is there was absolutely no risk for me.
It's pretty common for people to steal from the workplace if the
workplace accepts it, or just doesn't police it.
I also copped a staple remover, hole punch, and some manilla folders
from my office jobs. Again, no risk.
Some might call it a job "benefit."
But I'll just admit to thievery in my past. Doesn't bother me much,
but a spade is a spade.


I've told guys working for me to just ask. That way I'll know what I
need to replace. If it's not an expensive item and the guy asks for
some hardware, no problem as long as it's not a 50lb box. ^_^

TDD