Page 11 of The Examiner

Cameron Wesley

Nope. Can’t take eyes off Ali’s work. Girl leaves the rest of us clinging to the perch.

Cameron Wesley has left the group.

Jem Badhuri

Really? Well, not for long.

Doodle message group [Private] Jem and Patrick, 16 October 2023:

Jem Badhuri

Thanks for your help, Patrick. Who’d have thought working in art supplies would qualify you as a detective?

Patrick Bright

Indeed! Although you’re the detective, Ms Badhuri. Remember what I said. Don’t go in all guns blazing. There might be a perfectly innocent explanation for the discrepancies.

To: Gela Nathaniel

From: Jemisha Badhuri

Date: 16 October 2023

Subject: Alyson is stealing

Hi Gela,

I’ve been conducting an investigation into another MMAM(FTP) student and my findings are below.

As you know, I like to maximise my hours on each assignment and have no suitable facilities at home – unlike Alyson – so I’ve familiarised myself with the whole area, the studio, stockroom and storage cupboards, so I don’t have to keep buzzing for a technician. This means I know exactly what’s been taken out, or not, on any given day.

I had my suspicions, but needed proof before I came to you with it. For the last week Patrick and I have been making a note of which stock items have been signed out and when, plus what’s missing, without a formal paper trail.

You must know Alyson sneaks into the studio overnight whenever Tony is on lates. That’s a matter in itself, but it’s not the subject of my investigation. The sad fact is, items are going missing from the storeroom, overnight, whenever Alyson is here by herself. This is everything that ‘walked out’ over one night alone. Tuesday last week:

MaterialQuantityTrade priceTotal

Acrylic paintsPlaster mix, whiteResinTriple canvas packs500ml pots x 11 assorted colours10kg bags x 31litre bottles x 43£3.33£6.15£14.03£4.87£36.63£18.45£56.12£14.61

£125.81

You’ll notice these are all trade prices. This is thanks to Patrick, who knows the costs exactly, thanks to his art-supplies shop. We weren’t sure if Royal Hastings pays trade or retail prices. So, the above loss to the department is a conservative calculation.

It could be that Alyson is using these materials for her assignment, but eleven pots of acrylic paint? Three whole bags of plaster? Patrick says that’s enough to make an installation for the foyer of the Tate Modern. We aren’t meant to be working on canvas for this, so why the canvases?

I suspect Alyson is stocking her personal studio at home with whatever she can get her hands on from the cupboards here. Working overnight gives her the best opportunity to do so. As Patrick says, she can park behind the sheds and move larger items quickly. The true extent of her thieving is difficult to work out, as more obscure items could have gone missing without me noticing.

I’m happy to continue monitoring the stocks if you require more evidence before calling the police. Patrick will back me up.

Jem

Doodle message group [Private] Gela and Patrick, 16 October 2023:

Gela Nathaniel

You’ve been helping Jem ‘investigate’ items missing from the studio?