[imjustme9]

I stole less than $350 from work over a period of 2 months. I haven't stolen anything else in the last 5 months and don't plan to. The guilt of doing this is literally eating away at me. I've never done anything like this before. They haven't discovered this yet but it's possible that they will eventually.

Should I confess and pay them back? Should I just hope they don't find out and ride it out? Legally what would be my best option, I live in Indiana? I'm not worried about losing my job I can always find another one, I am worried though about being arrested and/or doing jail time. I'm a thirty something married mother of two and have never been in trouble with the law before. It would be so embarrassing if I were caught and it became public.

I feel so guilty that I often can't sleep, I have a contstant ache in my stomach and my chest hurts all the time, it's all I can think about lately and I can't even remember the last time I smiled. Please help me.

[Fr_Chuck]

Legally, you don't say a word, don't tell anyone, ever, and let it go. If you tell them and pay it back they will fire you at least, and/or perhaps have you arrested.

Do you want to be unemployed with a theft conviction on your record ? How is that for job hunting.

[Alty]

Love how you say that you're not worried about being fired, that you can find another job. It won't be so easy when you have a record, which you will if you confess. Paying them back won't be enough. You stole. You broke the law. Do you realize that? It's not as simple as saying "I took this money, I'm sorry, here, you can have it back", and having them forget about it. You broke the law!

Have you learned a lesson? Will you ever do this again?

I don't care why you did it. I don't care if you're broke, desperate. I've been there, and I've never stolen a cent from anyone. That's not an excuse, so don't even try to give that excuse to me.

You did it, you haven't been caught. Hopefully you've learned that breaking the law is not something that you should do.

It sounds like you have a conscience. So learn from your mistake, move on, and never do this again. If you do, then my only hope is that you get caught, and pay the price. If you learn from this, feel guilt, have sleepless nights (which you deserve), then I can live with that. Do it again though, and you've learned nothing, and deserve no mercy.

I work hard for my money, very hard, and I get paid very little. When people steal you don't only screw the people you're stealing from, you screw everyone.

Live and learn. Do this again, and I hope they throw the book at you.

That's my opinion.

[ScottGem]

Is there some way you can replace the money without it coming back to you?

[imjustme9]

Legally, you dont say a word, don't tell anyone, ever, and let it go. If you tell them and pay it back they will fire you at least, and/or perhaps have you arrested.

Do you want to be unemployed with a theft conviction on your record ? how is that for job hunting.

I think at this point I'm not going to say anything, you're right. As for the harshness it's fine, I deserve it. There is no good reason for what I did and I would deserve whatever happens to me. My mistake doesn't make me a bad person though. Surely one wrong choice vs. all the good decisions I've made has to count for something. Right? And no there is no way I could put it back without it being obvious, I wish I could. Thanks for the help.

[Alty]

I think at this point I'm not going to say anything, you're right. As for the harshness it's fine, I deserve it. There is no good reason for what I did and I would deserve whatever happens to me. My mistake doesn't make me a bad person though. Surely one wrong choice vs. all the good decisions I've made has to count for something. Right? And no there is no way I could put it back without it being obvious, I wish I could. Thanks for the help.

I disagree. There are bad decisions in life, and then there are illegal decisions. I have absolutely no respect for those that choose, and this was a choice, to break the law.

You may not be a bad person, but you did a very bad thing. This one wrong choice was the worst possible choice you could ever make, and you're not a naïve child that doesn't know better. You do know better.

But, I don't think you should have to suffer for life because of this bad choice. If you learned your lesson and never do it again, I can live with that. But, if you do it again, I will have no pity for you whatsoever.

You may not be able to return the money to your employer, but you can do something. Donate the money to a shelter, or a good cause. Make a donation. It won't change what you did, but it will show that you're thinking about more than just yourself.

After that, I would suggest that you get help. I've been desperate before. I work hard, and live pay cheque to pay cheque. Trust me, an extra few hundred dollars would be a God send. But, not once in my life have I ever been tempted to take something that isn't mine.

The fact that you did this to begin with does not negate the fact that you feel guilty about it now. You need to realize why you did it in the first place. Most people would never even be tempted. You went one step above temptation, you committed the crime. Why? You need to figure that out so that you never do it again.

[AK lawyer]

... Surely one wrong choice vs. all the good decisions I've made has to count for something. Right? ...

A question, the likes of which have probably prompted millions of sermons. But this is a legal forum; not a theological one. So I will refrain. :)

[joypulv]

If the legal opinion is that you keep silent, then the ethical suggestion might be that you do extra work for your employer, without compensation. Can you stay late to help a new person or come in on a day off to get something done on time, an hour here and an hour there, until the value of $350 is reached?
This is only addressing your guilt. It won't do much for you if you do get caught.