Not upheld: cash handling error / alleged theft complaint against Metro Bank PLC
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6219187 of 2026-05-26T00:00:00+00:00. cash handling error / alleged theft complaint against Metro Bank PLC. Outcome: Not upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6219187 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-05-26T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Metro Bank PLC |
| Product | current account |
| Claim type | cash handling error / alleged theft |
| Outcome | Not upheld |
| Remedy | None. The complaint was not upheld and Metro Bank was not required to take any further action. |
Summary
Ms C complained that a Metro Bank cashier failed to return the correct amount of cash when she visited a branch to deposit funds. She claimed the cashier stole £880 from her. Metro Bank investigated and found no discrepancies, with tills balancing at end of day and CCTV evidence supporting the cashier's account. The ombudsman reviewed the available evidence including TCR machine records, till reconciliation, and CCTV images, and found it more likely than not that the cashier followed procedures correctly. The complaint was not upheld.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman applied the balance of probabilities test given incomplete evidence. The available evidence—including TCR machine records, till reconciliation, CCTV images, and the cashier's account—was consistent and supported that the cashier followed procedures correctly. The CCTV images showed cash being handed back to Ms C twice, and the tills balanced at end of day, which would be unlikely if theft had occurred. While Ms C could not see behind the desk, the CCTV evidence showed what happened there.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Metro Bank PLC, all decisions | 1,221 | 30% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website