CNN News

August 19, 1999

A NEW STUDY SAYS YOU MAY BE WORKING IN A DEN OF THIEVES

An overwhelming 79 percent of workers admit they have or would consider stealing from their employers, according to a survey released last week by forensic accounting firm Michael G. Kessler & Associates...

It’s across the board," John Case, president of security management consulting firm John Case & Associates, said. "Wherever you have something that’s worth something, a certain percentage of people will steal…

Pre-employment screenings can be an effective deterrent. While the Kessler study found that only 5 percent of those who stole had a criminal record for a theft related offense, background checks may yield other clues. They might reveal whether a job seeker was fired for stealing at a previous place of employment or whether someone otherwise lied on his or her application, as an overwhelming number of applicants do, according to Kessler." (emphasis added)