Reggiespotter- what insulting comments:
<<Here we have a group (i.e., pilots) that is the best paid of all aviation professionals and whose allowances/per diems would quite often exceed the annual salaries of their colleagues on the ground wingeing because some of their number were sprung helping themselves to company stores. >>
I am a pilot. I accept the warnings have been loud and clear. I find any sort of theft objectionable. I think you will find very very few pilots would hazard their careers and try and nick something, so perhaps you would care to rephrase! What I would say is that a lot of pilfering goes on by the crew- I keep hearing anecdotal evidence from my colleagues who witness it with horror these days. But the vast majority goes on by those who service aeroplanes- cleaners/caterers etc. I have even pulled up at the aeroplane preflight in a car and seen cleaners raiding the newly loaded ovens and aircraft dry stores- crew supplies were often taken. That is why your sausage was so severely punished. It has to be stopped once and for all. Pilfering is disgusting.
Some 20 years ago, my father ran a small technical company. He purchased 12 sets of highly sensitive electrical measuring apparatus- some sort of Avos. They were aboout £1000 each apparently. Over time, they were all 'replaced' with war surplus stuff you could buy in markets for £30 by the staff at the time- people who one would think judged themselves ' true & honest', but pilfering from your employer was somehow 'OK'. There is no explanation or excuse, and sackings are the only answer until it gets through. But don't tar pilots like what you have!