Our client suspected her children were stealing from her grandmother.  Since neither would admit it, she ordered a lie detector test in Glasgow for the oldest child. It certainly taught him the consequences of stealing from family and lying about it.

Janet’s Case

Janet was getting a little worried about her grandmother, Daisy. She was always forgetting where she put things and what she’d done with her pension. Janet always went to visit her on a Friday afternoon whenever she did the shopping, just in case Daisy needed anything. She only needed to visit once a week as her children, Clive and David, always saw her at lunchtime during the day. Daisy loved the boys and would make them their lunch when they were at school.

Extravagant presents

Clive and David always had expensive tastes. Janet dreaded Christmas and birthdays. They always wanted the latest iPhone or IPad and this year was no different.  For their birthdays they both wanted massively pricey, electric scooters. All their friends had one and it was the next craze to get to school. Janet knew it was going to be expensive but she’d find the money somehow, she always did. Imagine her surprise when Clive and his brother returned home on quite an expensive looking scooter. She asked where they’d got it from and Clive said Daisy had bought it for his birthday but they both had to share it. Since Clive’s birthday was over 3 months away this didn’t have the ring of truth.

Forgetful great grandmother

Janet went straight round to see Daisy and asked her how she could afford such a gift. Clive was only 16 and getting this sort of gift was setting an unhealthy precedent. Daisy said she hadn’t bought it and that worried Janet.

Returning home and sitting Clive down, she explained what Daisy had said. Clive responded that she was always forgetting she’d given them things or given them money. Over the following weeks Daisy’s pension money seemed to dwindle and she had no explanation as to where it had gone.  Janet knew the only people other than herself who ever went inside the house were Clive and David. She’d asked them about the money but they’d said they hadn’t seen it.

Lie detector test in Glasgow

Watching a reality TV show one day, Janet decided to contact us to see if her eldest was old enough for a lie detector test in Glasgow. He was approaching 17 and she was surprised to learn he could have one at 16 provided she gave her written permission.  She booked him in for the following week. Clive seemed unfazed by the idea, he had always been a bit rebellious but generally was a good boy.

Janet took both boys along to the polygraph examiner’s office. David was 14 and too young to sit one, but she hoped the experience would be a lesson to him. She dropped Clive off and she took David to a café to wait until the test was over.

The test went ahead and the results were sent to Janet, via email a few hours later. Expecting the worst, she was pleased to read that Clive hadn’t stolen any money. However, he did know who had. Janet threatened to show the results of the polygraph test to Daisy if Clive didn’t reveal who had stolen from her grandmother. Breaking down, Clive explained David had taken money from Daisy’s purse on a regular basis. Stealing a little here and a little there, he’d managed to save enough to buy the scooter. David told Clive if he said anything he’d say Clive had stolen it. As the younger brother, David said he would be believed and not Clive.

Consequences of stealing from family

Janet didn’t tell Daisy about the polygraph test. At 87 this type of dishonesty would hurt her immeasurably. Instead the boys were made to go to the house and complete odd jobs, clearing the garden and decorating the house. They even had to accompany their great grandmother on trips out until Janet was satisfied the money had been paid back. Daisy is none the wiser, her pension is back to what it should be and she feels like she has two devoted grandsons looking after her.

The shock of the lie detector test in Glasgow was enough for them both to behave. Janet didn’t want to lie to her grandmother but felt this solution was the best all round.

Scotland Polygraph Services

If you need to teach someone the consequences of stealing from family or have another issue that needs to be resolved, a lie detector test could help.  With offices in all the main towns and cities of Scotland, our polygraph examiners regularly administer tests for theft within the family, infidelity, false accusations and much more.  Contact us for more details via our free helpline (07572 748364).