Employee theft is a bigger problem than you might think. Since 2019, over 18,000 incidents of employee theft have been reported in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, with an average of 14 daily instances in 2021. As a result, companies suffer from losing millions each year from unidentified theft by workers.
From the ‘borrowing’ of office supplies to selling intellectual property, there are many ways your employees can steal from you. So, if you notice an unexplained loss of funds, materials, or data, then these could be signs that you are struggling with employee theft.
Learn how to identify, prevent, detect, and report employee theft below:
What is Employee Theft?
Broadly, employee theft is deemed as any stealing, use, or misuse of an employer’s assets without permission. The five most common workplace thefts are:
Inventory Theft
– when an employee steals a product from their employer.
Data Theft
– when an employee steals trade secrets, proprietary information, clients’ personally identifiable information (e.g., credit card information and addresses), or contact lists when they leave the company.
Payroll Theft
– when an employee steals and cashes other employees’ pay checks or cashes fake checks.
Theft of Cash
– common in cash-heavy business sectors, such as in retail. Examples of this type of employee theft includes stealing cash funds from registers or petty cash drawers.
Theft of Services
– when an employee uses a service free of charge. This can occur in any business sector, whether in an accounting firm to a bakery.
How to Deal with Employee Theft
Usually, there is a trail of employee theft an employer can follow, such as frequent cash balance variances, inventory shortages, missing tools or equipment, changes in spending patterns, and complaints from other workers.
However, theft of any kind is a serious accusation to make, so it is not enough to suspect it – gathering solid evidence of workplace theft is a crucial.
This is where a private investigation firm like Global Investigations can prove greatly beneficial.
We can suggest the best mode of action in dealing with employee theft and take you through the investigation process that may involve one or more of the following approaches:
· Static surveillance
Gathering evidence from one location (typically by one agent). They can be placed outside a property to film and record the movements of a person at an address or location.
· Mobile surveillance
Following the employee in question from one location to another to gather evidence of theft on film. This is normally undertaken by a team of private investigators who may move on foot or by vehicle.
Using our wide range of capabilities, as well as the latest technology and equipment, we capture the necessary evidence.
· Mystery shopping
Purchasing or attempting to purchase stolen products or information to gather evidence of employee data theft.
· Cyber investigations
Using our open-source intelligence (OSINT) and dark web investigations to gain evidence of products or information sold online, such as card payment details, and the sale of stolen corporate information.
Cybercrime is particularly prevalent in recent times, with some agencies reporting a 300% increase in reported cybercrime.
Whichever types of covert surveillance is used, our tracing agents use a vast array of equipment that goes undetected by the employee, such as covert cameras, hidden listening devices, audio bugs, telephone monitoring equipment, and image intensifiers.
Hire a Private Investigator with Global Investigations
At Global Investigations, our private investigators have worked with many employers throughout the UK and have helped businesses to gather enough evidence for either prosecution or termination of employment.
With over 25 years of experience in the Private Investigations industry, all our private detectives are extremely discreet and able to blend in to all types of businesses and situations.
If you are requiring assistance from a detective agency in investigating a possible case of employee theft, please contact a member of our friendly team to discuss how we can help on 02082877770.