Pay us now, pay us later, pay somebody else later still….
Some time ago we had a client who had a large number of laptops stolen from one of their facilities. We were brought in to investigate, and, for the cost of a handful of the stolen laptops, gave them both the likely inside suspect and a list of simple, cost-effective, suggestions on how to avoid this happening in the future.
The case having been solved, the client, a company sufficiently large as to absorb the loss and write it off as theft, decided that while it could write off the cost of the laptops, increased security was mere overhead, and that it was not cost-effective to put in control procedures.
Some time later a large number of the new laptops were stolen from the same facility. We were again brought in to investigate, and gave them both the likely inside suspect and a list of simple, cost-effective, suggestions on how to avoid this happening in the future.
The client was incensed that our investigation – our second! investigation at that – cost almost as much as the first.
I would like to report that after the second theft the company tightened their security, but I cannot. On a guess, there will be yet another theft, and this time they will bring in someone else to do the investigation. The new company will investigate and give them both the likely inside suspect and a list of simple, cost-effective, suggestions on how to avoid this happening in the future….
