Got a Bad Feeling About an Employee? 7 Signs to Watch.

Employee theft is not always obvious; in fact, it’s often very difficult to detect. However, there are some telltale signs that can indicate possible incidents of employee theft within your company. Here are seven signs to watch out for:

1. Discrepancies in cash amounts. An employee might be stealing petty cash after hours, writing his or her own checks, or even depositing money into a shell company.
2. Missing inventory. An employee may be stealing office supplies or inventory from the stock room after business hours. Another possible indicator is when an employee consistently parks his or her vehicle near an exit or loading zone.
3. Suspicious relationships with a customer or supplier. Building a questionably close relationship with, or favoring a certain vendor or customer, might be indicative of theft.
4. Working late hours. Theft might be taking place after all other employees have left the workplace.
5. Ongoing complaints about employment. When an employee feels like they have been overworked and/or underpaid — or somehow wronged by their employer — they may feel like theft is justified.
6. Defensive or suspicious behavior when reporting on operations. Any sort of defensiveness when asked about work or when reporting on activities or operations might indicate theft. An employee might also refuse to take a vacation for fear that their substitute might notice inconsistencies in their work.
7. Personal lifestyle and purchases do not match salary. This one is self-explanatory.

If you suspect an employee that is exhibiting one or more of these signs, you may want to get in touch with a private investigator. Baldwin Legal Investigations is experienced in conducting thorough workplace theft investigations – get in touch, we can help.