Employee Theft | Workplace Thieves

Theft offences constitute a large part of overall crime – in Wuppertal, across North Rhine-Westphalia, and nationwide. The perpetrators are not always unknown; more often than commonly assumed, company employees are involved. If you suspect one or more of your employees of stealing company property, do not hesitate to contact the IHK-certified investigators of Kurtz Detective Agency Wuppertal: +49 202 5289 0063.

Theft on Order

Organised theft has increased significantly nationwide in recent years – including within and against companies. One particularly notorious case reported in the media involved Bayerische Motoren Werke, or BMW, where three main perpetrators were arrested. Two of them worked directly for BMW, and one for a BMW supplier. Over a period of around one and a half years, the two exposed BMW employees ordered various car parts as “quality samples” from the supplier, only to steal them afterwards. The damage amounted to approximately two to three million euros! The three convicted perpetrators acted on behalf of their own customers, to whom they resold the stolen goods at favourable conditions.

This modus operandi is frequently observed in large companies, but our Wuppertal detectives also encounter similar cases in smaller firms. Such offences are committed by both new employees and long-serving staff who enjoy the full trust of management and therefore have little fear of continuous supervision. It requires highly experienced and discreet observers to legally substantiate the actions of these corporate “parasites”.

Small Businesses, as well as Branches of Large Chains, Are Often “Easy Prey”

In smaller companies, employee oversight is sometimes very lax; many business owners believe, “That does not happen here!” This attitude, in particular, opens the door for dishonest employees. From negligible items like paperclips to printers, memory chips to laptops, bread rolls to induction hobs, promotional gifts to cash – anything that presents an opportunity is stolen.

Even branches of large companies, each with a manageable number of employees, are not immune to theft by their own staff. Dirk Roßmann, owner of the Rossmann GmbH drugstore chain, discovered this in 2008: a single branch recorded losses of over half a million euros within one year. Targeted video surveillance, approved by the works council, caught 21 (!) employees of this branch stealing. Each of these employees misappropriated company property, sometimes nearly every day.

Alternative to External Surveillance and (Potentially Problematic) Technical Solutions: Employee Infiltration

In some cases, internal theft can only be legally clarified by embedding an investigator within the affected company. Our corporate detectives in Wuppertal specialise in employee infiltration; they adapt to the target company environment, gain the trust of the target individual(s), and can thus document the offences in a legally admissible manner.

We are happy to advise you on this comprehensively and without obligation. Please send an email to kontakt@kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de or call us.

Discreet Assistance from Qualified Wuppertal Detectives

If you notice unusual inventory discrepancies, a conspicuously high amount of goods being written off as “damaged”, an increase in cancelled receipts, or any other relevant incidents arousing your suspicion, do not wait for the next stocktaking. Contact our experienced corporate detective agency in Wuppertal immediately.

We handle each case with absolute discretion, explain our options for observation and, if necessary, the installation of surveillance technology (always in compliance with legal requirements), and provide you with legally admissible evidence after the perpetrator(s) have been caught, in the form of written documentation and, if applicable, photographic material. You can contact us via our contact form or by phone: +49 202 5289 0063.