Research shows employee theft on the rise

June 21, 2013

Jack L. Hayes International shows that 71,095 dishonest employees were apprehended in 2012, up 5.5 percent from 2011. In total, more than $50 million was recovered in those cases, up 7 percent from a year earlier. One clear solution to reducing this desperately high number? Pre-employment background checks. “The seriousness of retail theft is a much greater problem than many people realize,” said Mark Doyle, president of Jack L. Hayes International. “These theft losses are stealing profits from retailers and driving retail prices higher for the consumer.” Highlights from this highly anticipated annual theft survey include:

  • Participants: 23 large retail companies with 18,900 stores and over $596 billion in retail sales (2012).
  • Apprehensions: 1,145,688 shoplifters and dishonest employees were apprehended in 2012, up 7.3% from 2011.
  • Recovery Dollars: Over $189 million was recovered from apprehended shoplifters and dishonest employees in 2012, up 18.1% from 2011.
  • Employee Apprehensions: 71,095 dishonest employees were apprehended in 2012, up 5.5% from 2011.
  • Employee Recovery Dollars: Over $50 million was recovered from employee apprehensions in 2012, up 7.0% from 2011.
  • One out of every 40 employees was apprehended for theft from their employer in 2012. (Based on over 2.8 million employees.)
  • On a per case average, dishonest employees steal approximately 5.5 times the amount stolen by shoplifters ($715.24 vs $129.12).
Ultimately, retail employee background checks are vital for any employer in the retail industry. If all employers were implementing thorough and reliable background checks, the number of dishonest employees can surely be brought down. 71,095 employee apprehensions in one year equates to 195 per day. Astonishing. For more information on how we can help you implement an effective employment screening process, and protect your business from employee theft in the future, get in touch.  ]]>

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