Be aware of the thief
by Don Ford
In the previous report I stated, “I did on occasion look for ways to steal”. Personally, I think that each manager and anyone in charge of security should, on occasion look for ways to steal. Take some time and consider, how you could, as an employee, remove product without paying for it.
If you think there is no theft going on in your center, you are wrong!
One area to consider is every door that leads to the outside of the building, which can be opened without an alarm going off.
As noted in the previous report, staff could set an item outside the building with the intent to pick it up later or place it there for someone else to pick up. It is important that you not have areas where scrap items and dunnage are placed outside in a non-secured area, as it is easy to hide merchandise among scrap and dunnage.
At one of the centers, during the summer months, they opened the back doors for ventilation. There was some brush along the back side of the building, and on the other side of the brush there was a business. The Manager of this center observed an employee, during lunch or break, toss merchandise out the door. The employee was supposed to be in the break room and not out in the center. The intent of the thief was to, drive up the street to the other business, walk through the brush and get the merchandise at night. How many times did this happen before anyone was aware.
Be sure all staff leave the work areas during breaks and lunch.
Keep all doors secured, if they are used for ventilation have the doors covered with a secure screen of some type.
Keep the unsecured areas outside of the building clear of scrap or dunnage.
Occasionally, walk or drive around the outside of the building, looking for opportunities.
While we are on the subject of setting merchandise outside a door, let’s consider setting merchandise on the other side of a door, but not outside. What and How?
Theft is not always a singular operation and it is often easier with two. Again this is a true story of theft. I received a call from the Waco police stating they had merchandise that belonged to DIB. They told me the story that they had stopped a pickup loaded with merchandise from DIB. They explained that the two thieves they had in custody, had stolen the merchandise out of a shed belonging to one of our employees. They wanted me to come and pick up the merchandise, saying bring a pickup truck, there’s a lot.
All the merchandise was still in the original containers. I brought the load back to the center and instructed a supervisor to make a list of each item, and to check the inventory on each item to see if the item was short by one. Every item was short by one!
The employee that these two indicated they had stolen from, was our night computer operator. This person stated to police that he bought the merchandise from someone at the flea market. The night computer operator worked alone, did have access to the office and break room but not to the main building. The police could not get the employee to admit to taking the items, he was not arrested. This person was terminated but not for theft.
I tried to find a way to get out into the warehouse without setting off an alarm. I even got up in the ceilings to see if one could get from an office restroom to a warehouse restroom but I could not find a way.
This indicated a second person. I believe that the second person would, during the day shift, bring an item into the computer supply room and leave it. Then, when the night operator left the building between 2:00 and 5:00 AM he would take the merchandise with him.
We never knew who the second person was.
Where there’s a will, there is a way, or, where there is merchandise, there is a thief!
Don Ford
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