Retail Investigations

Serving the needs of our Retail Clients...

Stock loss and loss prevention

False absenteeism

Breach of contract

Locate and trace

Pre-employment checks

Locate and Trace/Skip Trace reports

Are you suffering unexplained losses in your business?

Then you are not alone. Approaching 25% of all small businesses in the UK today are suffering from internal fraud and employee based theft. Statistics show that as much as 53% of your 'unforeseen losses' may be a result of internal employee theft. Opportunist theft by employees is being uncovered more frequently in industry today, with employees viewing the helping themselves to products as a perk of the job. With the increasing popularity of internet based selling sites, the disposal of ‘acquired’ goods has never been more simple. Needless to say, such conduct is a breach of contract at the very least, but it also constitutes theft or fraud and may be costing your business many thousands of pounds every year.

What form of fraud and theft do WIA investigate?

WIA investigates all forms of fraud and theft from employers, ranging from small business concerns through to the largest organisations. Employee fraud, sometimes known as embezzelment, can present itself in many forms.

• Misappropriation of funds is a frequent issue and is committed most often by the opportunist. having suceeded undetected, our opportunist will usually go on to repeat his act on a regular basis until caught.

• Cheque theft and altering is also prevalent. More frequently we are seeing enterprising employees to taking  spoilt or stopped  printed cheques,cleverly making slight alterations and representing the cheques, often for very inflated values.

• Inflating expense reports is possibly one of the most common practices by employees. Often this is not regarded by the employee as theft, rather a 'perk of the job', adding mileage, claiming meals and overnight accomodation falsely are costing UK businesses a small fortune.

• Abuse of business mobile phones is becomming common place

• Falsifying documents, forging signatures and moving money from customers accounts are also common place

• False injury claims are now widespread across the UK. In our ever increasing litigious society, employees have indicated that this is seen as a sure fire way to make a quick buck. Such practices are costing the corporate world millions of pounds in payouts and sick leave.

• Sick/bereavement leave. Bizarely, some employees feel that they have the right to manipulate their terms of contract to include regular 'extra days off'

Do you suspect false employee absenteeism or false injury claims?

In todays litigious society, the employer is suffering daily with false injury claims and absenteeism by the employee. What may have started as a simple injury or illness can be exaggerated to whole new proportions at the thought of compensation. As a business owner you suffer not only from the compensation claim itself but also with the absence of any contribution from your missing employee. Very often you will be correct if you have your reservations to the validity of a compensation claim but you will need hard evidence to stop a claim or dismiss a worker

Theft of intellectual property/ Breach of contract

Small and medium sized businesses, together with large organisations are reporting to us that they have suffered as a result of more senior members of staff 'defecting' from their businesses in favour of establishing a rival company of their own. Often, such practices involve the defector taking with them other 'key players' and more often than not illegally copying vital company documents and processes for their own gain.

W.I.A Specialist Fraud Investigations

Our services to you in this regard are exemplary. Based on years of professional investigation in the police and military investigative arenas, our specialist fraud investigatorswork with you to identify your internal issues, recommend processes where appropriate and gather vital evidence to prove or indeed put your mind at ret regarding employee thefts, fraud and braches of employment contract.

  

At Warwickshire Investigation Agency, our investigators will work with you to identify the culprits inside your business. Using a wide range of investigative techniques, evidence can be gathered to support your suspicions. Using thorough investigation techniques and covert surveillance where necessary, photographic and video evidence can be generated which when presented to you together with a full report of investigation will assist you in making your important decisions. Being experts in interviewing techniques, our investigators can interview the suspects on your behalf and then advise you on your options under both Criminal and Employment Laws.