Secure the Premises

Owner managers who are haphazard about physical security -- i.e., issuing keys, locking doors and changing locks -- are, in effect, inviting the dishonest employee into the plant or office after work. Intelligent key control and installation of time locks and alarms are ways of serving notice to crooked workers to play it straight.

The more doors a plant has, the more avenues of theft it offers. For example, one stock clerk parked his car at the receiving dock. He kept the trunk closed but unlocked. At 12:30, when the shipping receiving manager was at lunch, the stock clerk threw full cartons of shoes into the trunk and then slammed it locked. Elapsed time: 18 seconds.

A plant designed for maximum security will have a minimum number of active doors and a supervisor or guard, as warranted, stationed near each door. Moreover, a supervisor should be present when materials or finished goods are being received or shipped and when trash is being removed. As long as a door stays open, a responsible employee, supervisor or guard should be there.

Central station alarm systems should be used to protect a plant after hours. Their purpose is to record door openings and closing that can be investigated later if necessary. Time locks are also designed to record all openings.

Breakouts

A record of door openings can be important because the dishonest employee is often a specialist at breaking out, i.e., hiding inside and then leaving the plant after closing hours. If your plant is not protected against break out, you can be hurt badly, because this method of operation allows a thief to work essentially at his or her own speed.

After hours thieves bypass the alarm system that works beautifully against break ins. They can often leave by doors equipped with snap type locks, i.e., doors that do not require keys from the inside. Quickly and easily, they can pass goods outside and close the doors behind them, leaving no evidence.

A motion detector, electric eye or central station alarm will deter such thieves. You can also discourage breakouts with locks that need keys on both sides, provided that local or state fire regulations do not prohibit such locks. When goods, materials or money are missing and there is no evidence of forced entry, look for the inside thief.