Employees steal clients motor vehicles
Over
a period of three months a company which was contracted to fit accessories to
client’s vehicles had three brand new clients’ vehicles stolen from outside
their premises. The vehicles keys were also stolen.
These losses placed the company at the risk of losing a major contract with one of their clients. Not only did they face the possibility of the loss of the contact but they suffered a financial loss by having to replace the vehicles.
Although the client had no proof he suspected that some of his staff were involved.
After the third vehicle was stolen the client appointed BDI Investigations to investigate the matter.
We initially suggested the placing of an undercover agent amongst staff in order to gather information and identify the transgressors and the modus operandi used by them. Although the client agreed that under normal circumstances this would be a good option, the circumstances
at the time did not allow for this to be possible.
Our Investigators thereafter proceeded to interview and question employees at the client’s premises and used their informer network to conduct enquiries.
Shortly after being appointed to investigate the case, information was received about the third stolen motor vehicle and the suspects linked to the theft of the vehicle.
Coupled with this information and the information received through the interviewing of employees an undercover agent was placed amongst the work force, who befriended suspects linked to the theft of the vehicle and gathered vital information and further made an offer to purchase the stolen vehicle.
With the assistance of the South African Police this information was followed up which led to the arrest of:
These losses placed the company at the risk of losing a major contract with one of their clients. Not only did they face the possibility of the loss of the contact but they suffered a financial loss by having to replace the vehicles.
Although the client had no proof he suspected that some of his staff were involved.
After the third vehicle was stolen the client appointed BDI Investigations to investigate the matter.
We initially suggested the placing of an undercover agent amongst staff in order to gather information and identify the transgressors and the modus operandi used by them. Although the client agreed that under normal circumstances this would be a good option, the circumstances
at the time did not allow for this to be possible.
Our Investigators thereafter proceeded to interview and question employees at the client’s premises and used their informer network to conduct enquiries.
Shortly after being appointed to investigate the case, information was received about the third stolen motor vehicle and the suspects linked to the theft of the vehicle.
Coupled with this information and the information received through the interviewing of employees an undercover agent was placed amongst the work force, who befriended suspects linked to the theft of the vehicle and gathered vital information and further made an offer to purchase the stolen vehicle.
With the assistance of the South African Police this information was followed up which led to the arrest of:
- Two of the client's employees.
- Two persons who had physically stolen the vehicle.
- A motor vehicle theft syndicate leader.
Some of the suspects in custody
Our
investigation investigations revealed:
The suspects appeared in court in July 2013.
- That the same employees were involved in the theft of all three of the client’s motor vehicles.
- That the same persons arrested, who were not employees were involved in assisting the employees to steal the client’s vehicles.
- The modus operandi used to steal the clients vehicles.
The suspects appeared in court in July 2013.