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9
Investigative Method
and Technique
Theft/Property Offenses
I. INTRODUCTION
Property offenses have a monumental impact on both personal and business environments. The
impact of economic crime and its related costs are difcult to fully dene and appreciate because
criminal conduct takes on many forms and directions.
1
In an annual study of waste and abuse of on-the-job time, it was estimated that in 1981 employees cost
the American economy “a staggering $120 billion” resulting from employee “time theft”—excessive
socializing, conducting personal business on employer time, late arrivals, abuse of sick leave, etc. An
interesting example of f