Small and medium sized retailers are just as likely to be a victim of staff fraud as the large retailers. A small retailer has less process and policy but is reliant more on trust. Hmmmmm Trust .v. cash mixed in with human nature – never a good combination.

So how bad can it be? This real world story gives an extreme but relevant practical example.

• Richard Hilliard, manager of Tricky’s bar in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, set up a CCTV camera disguised as a smoke alarm after noticing that money was going missing from the till.

• ‘Within 12 minutes of her shift starting, she went to the cash drawer, took the money out, and put it in her bag,’ 

• ‘We then watched the rest of her shift, and she was just taking money out of the drawer over and over during the night and putting them in her purse. There were people at the bar while she was doing it. We were stunned.’

• ‘Abby was like part of the family. We have known her for years and we were the best of friends. I gave her a job and I trusted her completely. I let her run the pub, and if she was stuck for money I would lend it to her. I can’t believe she has betrayed us like this.’
  
• Total losses are at least £3,000.

Understanding what is happening at the till with irrefutable visual evidence is vital. The Russians have a great proverb for this – Trust, but verify.