The survey, conducted by the University of Florida and funded by a grant from ADT Security Services, Inc. (Business News).(retail employee theft)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

Security Management, February, 2002

Inventory shrinkage, caused by a combination of employee theft, shoplifting, vendor fraud, and administrative error, cost U.S. retailers $32.3 billion in 2000, according to the National Retail Security Survey. The survey, conducted by the University of Florida and funded by a grant from ADT Security Services, Inc., analyzed theft incidents from 116 of the largest U.S. retail chains.

According to the study, retail security managers attributed more than 46 percent of losses to employee theft and 31 percent to shoplifters. Errors in paperwork (18 percent) and theft by vendors (6 percent) accounted for the remaining losses. Therefore, employee theft cost retailers $14.9 billion in 2000, and shoplifting cost $10 billion.

Total losses to retailers were...

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