missing product
Kent
42 Posts
I need some help on the best way to investigate a situation involving missing product. We have just completed a physical inventory. We have identified over $10k of product missing. The product was put into inventory in June. Several people in the facility would have access to the product and it could be sold with relative ease. The only lead we have is that the warehouse supervisor has been talking recently with co-workers about several expensive items he has purchased in addition to paying off his credit card bills. Any suggestions as to course of action?
Comments
1-Contact your local police department and turn the investigation over to them.
2-Hire a private investigator to do this for you.
I, personally, would opt for going the private investigator route. It is often less disruptive, less intrusive, it does not harm morale as much, yet it sends a clear message.
I would not suggest doing this yourself. We are not prepared to handle major criminal investigations such as this. You may want to do some of the legwork internally, such as checking BOL's, access control data, and other documents which might help shed some light on the culprit but, overall, the investigation should be handles by an outside entity.
Last, I would prepare a company-wide communication on the matter. It need not be a two page manifesto, but you should call attnetion to the misdeed, explain how harmful it is to your business, reiterate that the company will investigate fully and last but not least suggest that anyone with any information come forward.
Good luck. Let us know how it pans out.
Gene
This is the problem with annual inventory when you deal with product that can be easily moved locally.
If you cannot catch him on this one, you can next time. There are numerous firms in the Memphis market that will plant an employee in the department and trap your man(men). We set up a sting in an Atlanta trucking terminal a few years ago and it resulted in the termination of eleven employees. They were charging drivers to wash their company trucks, selling diesel to friends, stealing rims and engine parts, and bass fishing in a pond behind the plant on third shift. Our investigator 'worked' there for two weeks and wove a terrific web.