Employee Infiltration – Theft of Company Property

The theft of company property has almost become a kind of national pastime. A pen here, a printer cartridge there, a pair of pliers here, a coffee machine there. In the thinking of many employees, it seems to be considered normal to take “small items” belonging to the employer. Yet theft remains theft – an employment relationship does not change that, and an existing relationship of trust can even lead to greater disappointment for the injured party.

 

Kurtz Detective Agency Berlin is aware of a case, for example, in which the cunning of a single employee resulted in losses in the five-figure range over the years due to the theft of toilet paper. Friendships have even been destroyed by the greed of individuals. Our Berlin corporate detective agency once handled a case in which the best friend and longest-serving employee of the company owner, together with his son, falsified invoices, pocketed invoice amounts off the books, and at the same time built up a competing company using the firm’s transport vehicles – including the secret poaching of regular customers.

 

According to the experience of our Berlin detectives, the old saying unfortunately proves true time and again: trust is good, control is better.

 

Matters become particularly delicate when valuable resources are stolen. In addition to surveillance – which is everyday work for detectives – there is also the option of infiltrating a detective into your company. Employee infiltration is often referred to as the supreme discipline of the detective profession. Only an extremely prudent and versatile detective with excellent knowledge of human nature is capable of carrying out such a sensitive assignment perfectly.

Losses in the Warehouse: Choosing the Right Detective Agency Is Crucial

As in every industry, the detective sector also includes providers with a high level of professionalism and competence – and others where this is not the case. Since the infiltration of detectives, the so-called inclusion solution, is among the more complex and demanding investigative activities, only experienced professional detectives should be entrusted with such tasks.

 

A negative example was decided by the Federal Court of Justice in 1990, which at the same time established the legal consequences of poor performance in service contracts. Because of losses in the warehouse area, company X engaged detective Y, who was to determine during a fourteen-day infiltration of the business whether the losses were caused by employee theft or employee misappropriation and, if so, by whom. Before the infiltration, the client expressly instructed the detective that he must not indicate to anyone that his employment was temporary, otherwise he would likely be assigned auxiliary duties outside the warehouse. However, the infiltrated detective made the mistake on his second working day of informing the warehouse manager that his position was temporary. As a result, the manager transferred the detective for most of the remaining time to an external warehouse with only one other employee, where no findings relevant to the assignment could be made. The detective’s investigative activities were therefore worthless, which is why the client refused payment.

 

Following a lawsuit by the detective agency for payment of the agreed fee, the Federal Court of Justice nevertheless ruled that the failure to comply with the client’s instruction not to reveal himself as a temporary worker did not constitute non-performance of the service contract. Consequently, the client had to pay the full amount. According to the court, the employer bears the risk of hiring a service provider who does not meet the required standards. For this reason, as a client you should carefully consider which detective agency you choose to work with. Kurtz Detective Agency Berlin recommends itself through the qualifications and experience of its staff: +49 30 5557 8641-0.

Employing Our Detective in Your Company

With infiltration, you officially employ one of our Berlin corporate detectives within your company. He appears as a fully integrated member of staff, becomes acquainted with colleagues, forms friendships, and takes part in the social life of your workforce. In this way the detective develops a keen sense of the processes and sentiments among your employees, can provide you with a wide range of useful information about trends and facts within your company, and will ultimately be able to identify the person or persons responsible for legal violations to the detriment of your business.

 

Please note that employee infiltration is one of the most cost-intensive measures in the detective profession, as the corporate detective involved normally has to appear and operate as your employee over a longer period of time. To discuss fees and conditions for this service offered by Kurtz Detective Agency Berlin, please contact us by telephone: +49 30 5557 8641-0.