Staffordshire Police

This could include:

• theft of cash from a till
• forgery of company cheques
• theft of inventory items
• theft of equipment
• employees granting a friend or other person a discount at the register or charging for fewer items than the person actually bought
• theft of information. Internal theft of information has become an increasingly serious problem for employers, especially since huge amounts of information are commonly stored in computer files.

You can reduce the risk of this happening by:

• always checking references even for temporary employees – don’t just rely on a ‘gut’ feeling or on someone being a friend/relative of another employee.
• establish a clear policy on theft and security and give to all employees
• keep chequebooks locked up and restrict access to cash and cheques
• divide financial responsibilities among several members of staff
• control cash flow and document accurately where money is spent
• make regular deposits of cash in banks rather than allowing them accumulate in cash tills
• check all invoices to make sure they match what was delivered and to ensure vendors were paid
• closely monitor high-value items like laptops and satnav by using a sign-in and out system
• remove the opportunity to steal – where possible have different people taking it in turns to carry out different functions and checking one another’s work.

You may wish to consider using a Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) system – but be aware of the effect this could have on employee morale. While it may reduce the risk, it could also be considered intrusive and stressful.

If you suspect theft has taken place you should:

• make sure you have your facts straight – making a false allegation is very damaging to employer/employee relations throughout the business
• contact police and discuss your concerns with them
• make sure you follow the statutory disciplinary procedures fully or you could end up losing in any future industrial tribunal.