EMPLOYEE THEFT INVESTIGATION TACTICS

THERE ARE A LOT OF TECHNIQUES THAT CAN BE IMPLIED IN ORDER TO INVESTIGATE EMPLOYEE THEFT. THE FIRST THING THAT MUST BE REMEMBERED IS THAT EMPLOYEE THEFT INVESTIGATIONS MUST BE KEPT EXTREMELY CONFIDENTIAL. THIS IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN A SHOPLIFTER INVESTIGATION BECAUSE YOU WILL PROBABLY NEVER SEE A SHOPLIFTER AGAIN. HOWEVER, THESE EMPLOYEES MUST GO TO WORK EVERY DAY. IF EVEN ONE PERSON FINDS OUT WHO DOES NOT KEEP IT CONFIDENTIAL, THEN THE WHOLE STORE WILL KNOW OF THE INVESTIGATION WITHIN AN HOUR. THESE STORES ARE SOAP OPERAS AND INFORMATION TRAVELS AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH SPEED. WE CANNOT MAKE AN EMPLOYEE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE AT WORK UNLESS WE ARE READY TO APPREHEND THEM FOR THEFT.

THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT FOR US TO UTILIZE ALL OUR SENSES. THE FIRST SENSE IS YOUR EYES. WATCH ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES, BUT YOU MUST DO IT IN A MANNER SO THAT THEY WON'T KNOW YOU ARE DOING IT. DON'T STAND AND STARE AT THEM LIKE YOU MIGHT DO FOR A SHOPLIFTER. YOU NEED TO FIND WAYS OF DIRECTING YOUR EYES WITHOUT YOUR HEAD MOVING AS WELL. YOU ALSO NEED TO UTILIZE YOUR EARS. LISTEN TO WHAT EMPLOYEES TELL YOU....PEOPLE GENERALLY HAVE TO TALK. BEN FRANKLIN ONCE SAID THAT "3 PEOPLE CAN KEEP A SECRET IF 2 OF THEM ARE DEAD". THERE IS A LOT OF TRUTH TO THAT. PEOPLE WILL TALK....YOU JUST HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO LISTEN AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOLLOW UP ON IT. YOU ALSO NEED TO UTILIZE YOUR MEMORY. YOU NEED TO TRAIN YOURSELF TO NOTICE AND REMEMBER EVEN THE MOST MINOR DETAILS BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, THEY BECOME IMPORTANT LATER ON DOWN THE LINE. YOU MUST BE ABLE TO HAVE PATIENCE. EMPLOYEES ARE, MOST OF THE TIME, NOT GOING TO BE AS OBVIOUS AS A SHOPLIFTER. IT'S LIKE FINDING A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK AS OPPOSED TO FINDING A STEEL ROD IN A HAYSTACK. I HAVE HAD TO SPEND HOURS AND SOMETIMES DAYS MONITORING AN EMPLOYEE AND REVIEWING TAPES TO MEET THE END RESULT OF CATCHING THEM IN THE ACT.
THE HARDEST PART IS GETTING A LEAD. WITHOUT A LEAD, YOU WILL NOT KNOW WHO TO WATCH. USE ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT THE STORE MAKES AVAILABLE TO YOU. THERE IS MORE TO CATCHING EMPLOYEES THAN JUST REVIEWING SURVEILLANCE. WHAT ABOUT RESEARCHING REGISTER TRANSACTIONS AND REVIEWING VOIDS AND REFUNDS. DON'T FORGET REVEIWING CASH SHORTAGES. VOIDS AND REFUNDS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE AN EMPLOYEE COULD BE USING A VOID/REFUND IN ORDER TO DO A "PASS OFF". A "PASS OFF" IS WHEN AN EMPLOYEE HAS A FRIEND COME INTO THE STORE AND ACT AS A CUSTOMER WHO IS MAKING A PURCHASE. AFTER THE EMPLOYEE SCANS THE MERCHANDISE (TO MAKE IT APPEAR THAT IT IS BEING PAID FOR), THE EMPLOYEE WILL THEN VOID IT OUT OF THE REGISTER SO THAT THE "CUSTOMER" WILL NOT GIVE THEM ANY MONEY. THEN THE EMPLOYEE WILL SLIP THE MERCHANDISE INTO THE BAG AND THE CUSTOMER CAN LEAVE WITHOUT PAYING FOR IT.
ANOTHER CRIME AT THE REGISTER IS THE "CASH HANDOFF". AN EMPLOYEE WILL HAVE AN ACCOMPLICE COME IN AND BUY SOMETHING, HOWEVER GIVE THAT PERSON MORE CHANGE THAN THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GET. AND DON'T FORGET RETURN FRAUD. THE ASSOCIATE MAKE A REFUND ON THE REGISTER FOR SOMETHING THAT IS ACTUALLY NOT BEING RETURNED. THIS WILL MAKE THE CASH DRAWER REFLECT THAT MONEY IS OWED OUT TO A CUSTOMER THAT IS NOT THERE. THEN THE ASSOCIATE CAN POCKET THE CASH.
THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS THAT AN EMPLOYEE CAN BE DECEPTIVE THAT I COULDN'T EVEN BEGIN TO SCRAPE THE ICE. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO BE OBSERVANT AND TO BE A GOOD DETECTIVE, YOU CANNOT EVER BELIEVE 100% WHAT ANYBODY TELLS YOU ABOUT ANYTHING. YOU NEVER KNOW WHO IS TRYING TO SET YOU UP IN ORDER TO BE DECEPTIVE.