How to Report Employee Shoplifting in the Workplace

Shoplifting, the theft of items from a retail outlet, is a serious problem in the retail business and accounts for $13 billion a year in losses. The problem is particularly tricky for merchants when it is committed by employees rather than customers. Because of the inherent trust placed in an employee, it is difficult to catch a shoplifter in the workplace, but there are steps to follow to report a coworker who steals merchandise from a retail store.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Establish Probable Cause of Workplace Shoplifting First

1. Understand that the process of determining guilt is difficult, especially in the case of workplace shoplifting. Do not make accusations of workplace shoplifting unless you have carefully established probable cause.

2. Witness a suspected shoplifter approach, select, remove and walk away with merchandise to establish probable cause. This can be difficult in the workplace because of an employee's responsibility to handle stock. Be sure the item isn't a return or something that must be removed from the shelves.

3. Establish probable case after a suspect has had a chance to pay and leaves the store. There are few reasons why an employee would need to leave the store without paying for an item of merchandise. However, it is important you witness this portion of the shoplifting act.

Report Shoplifting in the Workplace

1. Tell a security guard or loss prevention officer if your workplace has a shoplifter. Allowing a member of the security team to handle the situation will be much easier for you and protect you from the claims of false arrest or false imprisonment that sometimes occur in shoplifting cases.

2. Report the suspected shoplifting to a supervisor. Pointing out the situation to a supervisor is another way of doing your part without getting involved in an investigation. Usually, fellow employees are considered unreliable witnesses when shoplifting goes to trial, so the supervisor must follow proper protocol for establishing guilt.

3. Send an anonymous letter to your place of employment if you want to limit your involvement in the investigation. Detail your suspicions in the letter and mail it to your supervisor or the head of workplace security.

4. Call your company's hotline, if it provides one. Many businesses, especially large chains, have a hotline you can call to report coworker theft.

5. Know your rights as an employee and what you do and do not have to report. The National Association for Shoplifting Prevention is a good resource for learning about shoplifting prevention strategies in the workplace (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• Know that in some states, someone who sees an instance of shoplifting and doesn't do anything about it is guilty of shoplifting as well.