Our Leeds office recently helped Katie sit a polygraph test after her friend Hannah asked her to take one. the friends were unable to settle a dispute. Hannah had accused Katie of stealing money from her, resulting to over £400.00 of stolen cash. Tired of being accused, Katie had agreed to take a polygraph. But how did things become so bad between the friends?
Why ask for a polygraph test?
Hannah has known Katie ever since middle school. The pair have been inseparable best friends for over 22 years. However, Hannah recalls how issues started to show in their friendship just three years ago.
Trevor, Hannah’s now husband, proposed to Hannah when they were on holiday in Barcelona. Thrilled for the pair, Katie immediately came over upon their arrival back home, and bought a bottle of champagne. Hannah recalls how Katie was so genuinely happy for them, but the mood soon changed Hannah told Katie that her maid of honour would be Katherine, her sister.
“I remember Katie immediately seeming distant, and not interested as much in the wedding preparations, even though she was my bridesmaid”. Worried Katie might have felt left out from not being asked to be maid of honour, Hannah asked Katherine if Katie could be in charge on the hen do.
The night everything changed
The hen do was well underway, and all the girls agreed they would put £120 cash into a jar upon arrival for drinks, food and taxis so that Hannah didn’t have to spend any money.
However, Katherine noticed on counting the stash Sunday morning, that the original pot was down by £50. Unsure if she had made a mistake, Katherine double checked and then told Hannah. Hannah asked the group if anyone had borrowed from the fund or needed the money – “It isn’t an issue, we just need to make sure no one has broken in or stolen anything”. The weekend carried on; the issue unresolved with all the bridal party claiming innocent.
Strange behaviour
Hannah noticed that even after the wedding, Katie remained distant and acted oddly towards her. One evening Hannah had to withdraw £200.00 to pay a plumber. She went to a cashpoint, withdrew the cash and stashed it into an envelope with “Harry” written on it. She told Trevor the money was in the kitchen by the kettle should Harry call round when she was already at work in the morning. Thinking nothing more of it, she boiled the kettle and rang Katie, asking her to come over for a coffee and catch up. Katie agreed and arrived that evening, enjoying a quick catch up before she had to leave early to get to bed for an important meeting the next day.
In the morning, Hannah went to make a cup of tea and noticed the envelope was missing. She shouted upstairs and asked Trevor if he had moved it or seen it – to which he denied both. Hannah searched everywhere, just encase she had moved it absent-minded, but couldn’t find it. She rushed to the cash point again and left more money for Harry before going into work.
Suspicions grow
Weeks later Katie came over for dinner with Hannah and Trevor. It was then that Katie asked about their plumbing work on the new bathroom, and if Hannah would recommend Harry as she had a job in mind. Hannah discussed Harrys work with Katie, to which Katie replied “But is he expensive? That £200 seemed a lot for the work he did”. Hannah replied, but later on it dwelled to her that she hadn’t told Katie how much the plumbing work had cost.
She immediately rang Katie and confronted her about how she knew the plumbing cost, to which she said Trevor had been told her. Questioning Trevor he said he had no recollection of sharing any information with Katie. Hannah had suspected for a while that Katie might have taken the money back from the hen do weekend, and now this just didn’t seem right either.
Hannah bit the bullet and asked Katie if she would take a polygraph test to ask questions about the hen weekend money and plumbing money. Katie took immediate offense and blocked Hannah from all contact for months, no word. Four months passed and Katie turned up one afternoon on Hannah’s door agreeing to take the polygraph test.
The results of the polygraph
It turned out that Katie had taken the hen do money and the plumbing money. Katie confessed to Hannah after failing the lie detector test that she had stolen the money to help pay off debts. She said she had borrowed some cash from a local guy, and that he was now harassing her for the money back. Hannah said she could have asked her to help, rather than stealing and although the trust has been damaged between them, she wants to work on rebuilding the friendship. Katie has agreed to repay Hannah and to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
If you are concerned for a loved one or friend regarding money and debt you can see the Citizens Advice Website here. Alternatively you can book your lie detector test with us online today. For more information see our FAQ page for further details and questions, and call our free helpline on 07572 748364.
