There are many instances that classify as employee theft that most of us do not think twice about. For example, taking a camera from the lost and found at your place of employment, grabbing a chocolate bar from the shelf on your lunch break and not paying for it or taking a pen home from work with you all constitute employee theft. Sure, you are not stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars, but, in all three of these instances, you are stealing. In most instances, these minor crimes will go unnoticed and, if you are caught in the act, you will most likely get a slap on the wrist or a warning from your boss. However, there are acts of employee theft that will be referred to the police and you could end up with a theft conviction because of it.
Employee Theft Cases
Below are some cases of employee theft that could end up costing you a lot more than just your job:
- Voiding receipts and pocketing the money. This happens in a lot of stores where you will work a cash register.
- Forgetting to scan items and then pocketing the money. Again, this often occurs in stores where you will need to scan an item at a cash register such as in a clothing store or a grocery store. The thief will still collect the money from the customer but then put the money in their pocket instead of in the register. There is no recollection of the transaction and thus the cash register is not overdrawn.
- Stealing directly out of the cash register
- Stealing items from the store room or back room. Many places of employment will have extra stock in the back. They may think their boss will not notice the missing items right away.
- Stealing items off the shelf.
- Switching price tags on an item to make it cheaper
- Stealing office equipment. This can include something as small as a pen to something as large as a computer.
- Accounting schemes, such as creating fake employees to pocket the money. Accounting schemes are often considered ‘white collar crimes’ and usually constitute a felony arrest.
Facing Employee Theft Charges
Employee theft generally falls into two categories – petty theft and grand theft. Petty theft means that the amount stolen is under $400 while grand theft refers to anything with a monetary value of over $400. Some employee theft instances will happen over a long period of time. For example, stealing $20 here and there over three years can add up to a lot of money. Employee theft convictions can range from misdemeanor to felony offenses depending on the situation.
Minneapolis Criminal Defense
Don’t let an accusation of employee theft affect the rest of your life. If you or someone you love is facing a criminal conviction, then now is the time to step up and fight back. Contact Anoka criminal lawyer Michael Brandt at 763-421-6366 for a free, no obligation consultation.