Stealing fragrance and cosmetic items is a way to maintain, or enhance, a life style while decreasing out of pocket expenses. It was not uncommon for me to resolve internal theft where employees sought out employment at stores that carried their preferred brand of cosmetics just so they would have unending access to them.

Since one of the more common theft items for many retailers is fragrance and cosmetics, it is important to be diligent in protecting that inventory. Additionally, the internal theft of these items that can create a bigger financial loss than through shoplifters.

Let’s take a look at why these items are taken. We can begin with the price- for most major fragrance labels, even a small one-ounce bottle can fetch close to fifty dollars. Even though cosmetics can be a low price point, ask any woman how many different products they use.

It can be an overwhelming amount of different items of makeup, each with a five to ten dollar price- for the moderate drugstore brands. Higher end products can increase in price exponentially depending on the designer and type of product.

Beyond the initial price, these are consumable items. They need to be replenished with regularity ranging from once a month to once every four to six months. If you have employees that regularly wear or use these beauty items, they can potentially incur hundreds to thousands of dollars worth of product in a year’s time.

For more information on employee theft, employee theft investigation or internal theft contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation. 

Unfortunately employee theft (also known as internal theft) is a reality when operating a business of any size.  More than half of all retail industry shortage is a result of employee theft.  Every business owner needs to be aware of this and take the appropriate actions to confront this reality.

Employee theft frequently manifests through internal collusion or assisting the theft by an external party.  Most often though internal theft is the primary form of employee theft that impacts businesses.

Internal theft happens in a variety of different ways.  Most retail businesses have cashiers and, of course, these cashiers have access to many assets.  Retail cashiers have access to the register funds.  This access and the level of direct supervision frequently create an environment that is conducive for internal theft. 

It is critical to remember that each employee is a potential avenue to loss.  Every employee in an organization has access to assets.  This means that not only the business’s cashiers present the possibility for loss.   The stock workers have access to your inventory, the facilities’ staff often work unsupervised and after hours, and the management staff has direct access to the safe and reserve funds

If employee theft is suspected, the next step should be to initiate employee theft investigations.  As soon as an owner or manager notices that loss has occurred, the employee theft investigation is indicated – it should also become a routine measure to uncover loss yet unnoticed and to serve as warning as well.  

The goal of employee theft investigations should be to uncover and address internal theft issues.  An employee theft investigation utilizes loss prevention personnel, interviewers, CCTV systems, personnel surveillance, and controlled auditing. 

The goal should be not only removing the guilty party, but also identifying any control or supervision issues.  An employee theft investigation also can support the course of correction that might be indicated.

For more information on employee theft, employee theft investigation and internal theft please contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia.

In the world of employee theft investigation, a sweetheart deal does not refer to a Valentine’s Day sales event. It refers instead to employee theft in which an employee gives away product or unauthorized discounts at the point of sale. Sweetheart deals are also referred to as pass offs.

When we are reviewing or conducting surveillance during employee theft investigation, there are common scenarios we are looking to discover.  A straight pass off happens when a cashier gives away merchandise to a friend or relative and no sale generated.

A variation occurs when an employee pretends to ring up the transaction. They may scan the items and then later void them out. They might also print out a receipt that shows an estimate of the product, but no sale is actually conducted.

Sometimes employee theft involves only partial payment for the contents of their friend’s shopping cart. The internal theft occurs when the employee rings up a few low dollar items, but slides the expensive ones. I once conducted an employee theft investigation and discovered that the dishonest cashier would “forget” to ring up the large items on the bottom of her boyfriend’s cart.

While this list is not exclusive, these distinctive employee theft situations occur regardless of retail niche or product sold.  In general the techniques are unchanging although we may occasionally discover a creative twist to employee theft.

Since the inception of employee theft investigations, sweetheart deals have been a constant in the execution of internal theft by employees.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that will help end employee theft or internal theft challenges and facilitate employee theft investigation.

For more information about employee theft or employee theft investigation and internal theft please contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia.