John Greaves

Mr Greaves was the Secuirty Officer of Miami Modes where both Elsie Tanner and Dot Greenhalgh worked. Elsie was stopped by him when he did a random check as she was leaving work one night and he searched her bags. One of them, a brown bag, contained two unpaid for dresses. Elsie was taken to the office of Mr Travers, the Store Manager, and questioned. She said that Dot had rung her and said that she had forgotten the bags and could she pick them up. Travers rang Dot and told her to come in and the two women's stories didn't match. Elsie was certain that Dot had told her to "Fetch the white bag and the brown bag next to it" whereas Dot's version was, "Fetch the white bag next to the brown bag". Travers' view was the matter looked like shoplifting and he had to take it at its face value. The police were called and it was Cyril Turpin who formally charged Elsie but the case was dismissed in court due to lack of evidence. Dot also admitted to Elsie during the course of the trial that she had in fact stolen the dresses and Elsie told her that she never wanted to see her again.