Your relationship with your job may be complicated. Maybe you don’t like the company, but you don’t have any other options, so you’re still there. Maybe you only spend part of your time working in the office. Maybe you just feel like all the tools of the trade “belong” to you, since you use them, despite the fact that they really belong to the company.
These are all reasons that people use to steal from work. It could be a construction worker taking power tools home for a project at the house, for instance, or an office worker taking a computer home when their personal computer dies. They find ways to justify it. And, because of this, the majority of workers do it.
It’s common for things like this to grow over time. It may start with taking minor office supplies, then a computer and finally cash from the company fund. Or it may not even feel like stealing at all. Maybe they gave you a company card for expenses, and you soon start adding personal items into your purchases, hoping no one looks too closely. You’re not stealing money. You’re just using the company account for yourself.
When these habits progress, you may get to a point that you never anticipated. You could find yourself facing serious charges for theft and/or embezzlement. You may suddenly realize that you went further than you wanted to, but there’s no turning back. If you’re facing these types of accusations, make sure that you know what legal steps you can take.
