Pre Employment Screening and Business Failures

November 26, 2010 by

 Should businesses conduct pre employment screening?

According to the Department of Commerce, 30% of business failures are caused by employee theft.

Employers that use pre employment screening as part of the hiring process reduce those odds.

The question businesses experiencing employee theft might well ask is: Did I hire a thief or did my policies and procedures encourage an honest person to steal?

In either case, an employer can’t know for certain what is in the mind of his potential employee.  But he can have a pre employment screening program in place to determine if there is a history of property crimes such as theft, or crimes of violence like assault and/or battery through a thorough background check.

An applicant’s past can be revealed by a criminal background check in the jurisdictions where the applicant has lived, worked, or attended school through an examination of public records relating to arrests, convictions, and sentences handed down by the courts.  Although a past record may not be an absolute indicator of future actions, a person with multiple arrests for similar crimes might be expected to revert to that behavior at some point.

A person’s history of drug or alcohol abuse may also be revealed.

If employees have access to assets such as cash, inventory or supplies, or have contact with the public, a pre employment screening program can reduce a business owner’s losses as well as his liability for an employee’s actions.

Questions about pre employment screening?  Call Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. at 1-770-426-0547 or click here.

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No Celebration at the Party Store Employee Theft Investigation – Atlanta Georgia

November 26, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Senior Management of a party supply store contacted Loss Prevention Systems, Inc to conduct an employee theft investigation because the cash shortages “were starting to get out of control.”  The manager’s register was found to be $50.00 short in cash and a review of the day’s detail showed nothing unusual on that day.

The front-end manager stated that on that day she had opened the register without counting it down, assuming that someone else had done it.  Furthermore, after logging on the register in the morning, she had not logged off until that afternoon, meaning that someone else may have had access to the register to ring sales without having to sign on.

Our investigator determined that there were only two employees other than management working on that day, and both were interviewed.  The first was cleared through the interview.

The second admitted during the interview that she had taken the $50.00 and that she had taken cash on several occasions for the past three months.  She did this by ringing bogus sales to open the register and then removing the cash. She also confessed to stealing greeting cards and stationery for her own use and giving away food and drinks to other employees.  She stated that she was currently on probation as a previous employer had prosecuted her for employee theft .

The store’s manager terminated her employment and later took a warrant for the employee’s arrest for theft.

Discussion:

How do you know that your managers manage?  This employee theft investigation revealed that the manager failed to do two things that provided opportunity for employee theft : Counting down and documenting the amount in the register at opening and closing should be done 100%.  Every employee who rings on a register should use his own number and log off when not actually at the register.

This employee had not checked the box on the application that asks, “Have you ever been convicted of a crime?” but obviously this store did not conduct a background check, or they would either have not hired this person at all or would have kept a closer eye on her if they had hired her.

Policies and procedures should be written and communicated to all employees, and followed to reduce opportunities like these from occurring.

Employee theft is a never-ending battle. Make sure that your management is not allowing it to occur because of lax enforcement of Policy and Procedure or training. It is cheaper to follow the rules than have to accept the employee theft losses.

For more information about employee theft contact us at employee theft investigation or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

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Controlling retail shrinkage before it controls you! Atlanta Georgia

November 26, 2010 by Leave a Comment

It is sometimes interesting to look at the items that a shoplifter may choose to steal.  My team recently apprehended a shoplifter that took a lot of what you’d expect to see taken from a large retailer such as ours – makeup, cologne, etc.  She also took Kool-Aid.

Retail shrinkage is unpredictable.  While we can theorize on what a potential shoplifter may want to take from your business, there is no way to be 100% sure what will draw the attention of a thief.  That is why it is imperative to have good loss prevention procedures and training in place – to boost those profits and reduce the retail loss .

Retail shrinkage is also a very broad descriptor of loss.  It is, essentially, anything and everything that can possibly create a loss to your business.  This can be employees, vendor errors, shoplifters and paperwork errors.  Anything that creates a loss of profits by lost merchandise or assets.

Experts in the field of loss prevention can analyze your business and its practices, and develop plans to narrow that broad spectrum of retail shrinkage into a workable concept for you.  Once the type of shrinkage is narrowed down to what is occurring in your business, then you can begin to combat this retail loss , one shoplifter, employee thief, or dishonest vendor at a time.

For more information about retail shrinkage or retail loss contact us or call 1.770.426.256 – Atlanta Georgia

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Employee Theft…..Skimming and Larceny – Atlanta Georgia

November 24, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Money is the top target of employee theft schemes.  There are two cash theft schemes that employers need to understand, skimming and larceny.

Larceny and Skimming…sounds like two cartoon characters doesn’t it?  Unfortunately these two employee theft acts have much more devastating consequences for small businesses.

“Skimming” is considered an OFF BOOK fraud.  This means that the theft is conducted prior to the cash hitting the accounting ledgers of the business.  Because the money is taken before it is recorded, the employee theft cannot be traced through a direct audit trail.  That makes catching the culprit a little more difficult.   This affects persons of employ such as tellers, wait staff or anyone who handles cash transactions directly from customers.

“Larceny” is the taking of monies after it has been recorded.  One example of this is reversing transactions on a cash register. Employee theft may be committed by the person running the register by returning fictitious merchandise or voiding transactions.  This allows for the cash transactions in the register to appear lower than they are supposed to be.

Employees can also steal cash from the daily deposit.  This is a very common type of larceny.  Small business owners especially should be aware that if they allow employees access to bank deposits, the threat is very real that some of the cash from that day will not make it into the bank.

Worried about employee theft ?  Call us for advice at 1.770.426.0547 or contact us at employee theft – Atlanta Georgia

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Retail Shrinkage caused by an Honest Thief – Atlanta Georgia

November 24, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Retail shrinkage is not just the loss a business incurs from the merchandise that is shoplifted by customers.

I recently interviewed an employee that was accused of underringing – intentionally allowing a customer to leave her register without paying for all of the merchandise.  This cashier underrang for just one customer, a friend of hers, and it added up quick:  nearly $1000 in less than three months.

The sad thing is that the loss could have easily been higher.  What if she had multiple friends that she was doing this for? This type of retail loss is common place, and your profits fall victim.

Combating retail shrinkage has to be a priority for the business owner that wants to be profitable.

The amusing thing about this case is that the cashier did not feel that she did anything wrong.  She explained that she did not profit from this “theft”, and that she only did it because her friend asked. She assured me that she would never steal.  She admitted she could just not tell her friend “no” when the friend asked for this favor.

Unfortunately, this is not an unusual story.

Employees that cause retail shrinkage can often justify the loss that they are creating.  And that justification often sounds bizarre to us honest folk, but it is a justification nonetheless.  Justification that can overshadow any guilt or regret an employee might feel for creating a retail loss for your business.

For more information about retail loss contact us at retail shrinkage or call 1.770.426.256. Atlanta Georgia

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How to Prevent Shoplifting with Repeat Offenders – Atlanta Georgia

November 24, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Depending on the part of town in which you do business it may be slightly more difficult to prevent shoplifting than in others. The socioeconomic status of the surrounding area can seriously dictate the criminal propensity and moral ineptitude of your patrons. For example, several months ago I happened by a young man who was so busy stuffing merchandise down the front of his pants that he hardly noticed me. After my detective and I stopped him outside the store we realized why – the guy was higher than a bald eagles beak.

He sat in the office nodding in and out of consciousness and rambling incoherently until the police arrived and took him away. 2 weeks later he returned to the store. Once again he was high and smelling like a cross between a Grateful Dead concert and an angry mule. Once again he was arrested, but this time it only took 3 days for him to return. In all we had this young man arrested 7 times. It became evident that this tactic was not going to work with this individual. He had no fear of arrest or prosecution so it was nearly impossible to prevent shoplifting in his case.

Finally, we circulated a picture of the young man to every manager, clerk and security guard in the building with instructions to contact loss prevention the moment he was spotted. At that point we simply denied him entrance to the store and immediately escorted him off of the property. After several attempts he finally figured it out and no doubt took his shoplifting endeavors elsewhere. In cases of the drug addicted, extreme poor or mentally challenged the threat of arrest and prosecution is not enough to deter them. It is in these cases that it may become necessary for you to think outside the box in order to prevent shoplifting .

For more information contact us: prevent shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547 Atlanta Georgia

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Tips for Security and Loss Prevention

November 24, 2010 by Leave a Comment

We all know that shoplifting is a major problem for business owners, retailers, security and loss prevention . The following are just a few useful tips on how to combat shoplifters and therefore reduce shrink within your organization. 1st of all, keep a close eye on what goes on in your restrooms and fitting rooms. These are a shoplifters dream. They know you can’t have cameras in there so they use that knowledge to try to rob you blind. Keep unused checkout aisles closed. Many shoplifters will stalk back and forth repeatedly waiting for an opportunity to make a break for the door.

Security and loss prevention should also post anti-shoplifting signs. Let the crooks know that you’re aware of their presence and are equipped to stop them. Keep small expensive items like electronics or fragrances in locked display cases. Make sure your store associates know what to do in the case that they spot a shoplifter. Security and loss prevention should instruct them on what numbers to call or ways to contact them and what they are and are not permitted to do in order to deter a shoplifter from leaving the premises.

Plain-clothed personnel should be patrolling and watching the store continuously. Turn over all apprehended shoplifters to the police. Trust me, this is every shoplifter’s first time if you listen to them. Word gets around. Have them arrested and cited and future shoplifters will find another, less-serious, retailer to steal from. Uniformed guards stationed at the exits are also a great deterrent to shoplifters. There’s no way to completely prevent external theft but have your security and loss prevention employ these tips and you’ll greatly reduce your shrink.

For more information about retail loss prevention contact us: security and loss prevention or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

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A loss prevention investigator working Organized Retail Crime – Atlanta Georgia

November 24, 2010 by

One of the many tasks faced by a loss prevention investigator is that of Organized Retail Crime. Commonly referred to as ORC, businesses everywhere suffer from this nuisance.

Recently, a loss prevention investigator was working a small chain of stores. He received information from 5 different stores of large amounts of merchandise were missing. Starting his investigation, the loss prevention investigator gathered information on the missing merchandise. All of the merchandise taken from the stores was the same, high street resale value and in high customer demand. Looking at several of the merchandise locations, the items were placed in the worst locations possible… in the back aisles of the store where employee view and interaction was minimal.

Further investigation and review of CCTV showed the merchandise being taken by the same group of people. It appeared that 4 males entered the stores, 2 peeled off and spoke with management, while the other 2 cleared the shelf of merchandise and into a black trash bag they carried. Then while the other 2 were distracting management, the trash bag was walked out of the store. Simply, the thieves outside would use their cellphone to communicate with others inside, ending their spree. This operation took no more than 5 minutes each time.

The loss prevention investigator , having a solid partnership with local law enforcement and other retailers, reached out for help. He sent out video, and screenshots of the suspects. Luckily, another local retailer had experienced the same suspects recently. The investigator put together the case. The word was out. The hunt for these “boosters” was on.

A phone call came in to the investigator at about 8pm that a loss prevention agent apprehended one of the suspects. The loss prevention agent , working undercover, observed one of the suspects clear a shelf of merchandise and head for the exit. The loss prevention agent apprehended him, while the other suspects fled.

The loss prevention investigator arrived and interrogated the suspect. He was able to get more valuable information and the local police department was contacted.

During the course of the investigation, the investigator was able to gather information on this ring that led to the arrest of 15 other accomplices and the recovery of $1.5 million in merchandise.

For more information contact us at loss prevention investigator or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

 

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CORPORATE FRAUD INVESTIGATION- THE UNKNOWN FACTS – Atlanta Georgia

November 22, 2010 by Leave a Comment

A corporate fraud investigation is much more complicated than many of us think.  I’ve been in corporate America for years and did not understand the intricacies of how the investigation of wrongdoing is conducted in a large corporation.  Or even who conducts that investigation.

The first intriguing fact is that a corporate fraud investigation is not only a private affair but involves the help of many federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service.  This is because the violations that are usually being investigated are in relation to the Internal Revenue Code and related statutes.

These crimes of corporations usually involve senior executives.  People who investigate these crimes must be able to concentrate on and understand the intricacies of high corporate finance and accounting.  The most prevalent law that prevents violations of the Internal Revenue Code is Sarbanes-Oxley.  This act imposes stiffer sentences of up to 20 years in prison for the destruction, alteration or falsification of records in order to impede a federal investigation.

In 2010 there were 116 corporate fraud investigation s initiated.  Of those 116, 91 of those recommended that someone be prosecuted.  There was actually a 77% incarceration rate of those 116 investigations with senior executives serving an average of 48 months.  This information comes from the Criminal Investigation Management Information System.

Need advice on a corporate fraud investigation. Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

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Proper Utilization of Security and Loss Prevention – Atlanta Georgia

November 22, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Let’s face it, no matter where you’re at in this great country of ours there are certain places where security and loss prevention are a much higher priority than others. In high risk communities it is extremely important that you utilize both tiers properly in order to keep your shrink to a manageable level. Your standard security, usually a uniformed guard or mobile unit, is primarily a deterrent to theft. Even the most brazen thief will think twice about grabbing a handful of merchandise and making a run for the door if there’s an authority figure present to block his/ her path.

The purpose of loss prevention is to identify and eliminate the more clandestine thieves. These criminals make up the majority of the shoplifting community. Most shoplifters don’t want to be identified. Not because they fear prosecution (though I’m sure that must factor into their thinking at some point) but because being identified greatly reduces the opportunity for them to return and steal from you again. This is why your security and loss prevention must work closely together to identify would-be shoplifters and deter hardened criminals.

Security and loss prevention must also work together to in the same way to deter internal theft. Security bag checks and random searches are a great way to keep your employees on their toes. They know that you, the business owner or manager, are far too busy with other tasks to concentrate on them 24/7, but shrink reduction and theft deterrence is the sole purpose of security and loss prevention. Proper utilization of these 2 forces will go a long way to controlling and improving your bottom line.

For more information about loss prevention security or retail loss prevention contact us: security and loss prevention or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

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