On Friday I took a new laptop from my employer(Best Buy). About two to three hours after taking it I returned to the store, returned the unit and turned myself in to management because stealing is not in my character. I explained to them that I was willing to simply make restitution by paying for the unit. I was told at that time that it was too late for that. They began processing it as an employee theft and suspended me.

I am almost sure I am going to be terminated as the manager chose to go the more complicated route. My question is should I let them fire me or should I resign?

What difference will it make to you if you resign now since they have already suspended you? The theft charge is the one I'd be worried about. This will show up on any criminal background check in the future you know.

What difference will it make to you if you resign now since they have already suspended you? The theft charge is the one I'd be worried about. This will show up on any criminal background check in the future you know.

So even if the unit was returned to the store it will still haunt me?

Yes, you will be lucky if they still don't call the police and follow up with criminal charges.

So it really does not matter if you quit or get fired, this will be a bad reference for any future jobs and you can't get unemployment anyway because of the theft.

Hind sight, you should have merely went in and paid for the unit, and if anything was said, merely say you got busy and forgot to,

But confessing to a crime, without talking to an attorney ( from a legal stand point) is the last thing you ever do.

From the moral side, you did the right thing, and move on and learn from this

yes, you will be lucky if they still don't call the police and follow up with criminal charges.

So it really does not matter if you quit or get fired, this will be a bad reference for any future jobs and you can't get unemployment anyway because of the theft.

Hind sight, you should have merley went in and paid for the unit, and if anything was said, merley say you got busy and forgot to,

But confessing to a crime, without talking to an attorney ( from a legal stand point) is the last thing you ever do.

From the moral side, you did the right thing, and move on and learn from this

I tried to go in and pay for the unit, but because of the fact that "two salary managers" already knew, they had to esculate to corporate.

They basically turned a molehill into a mountain on there own.