During the recent cyclone ‘Phet’ which lashed parts of the Sultanate in the first week of this month attendance of security personnel at their posts was very thin as many stayed indoors owing to heavy rains and overflowing ‘wadis’.
One enterprising security guard who was alone at one of our facilities (normally paired duty) thought he could make a fast buck and none would be the wiser. He drove off with some expensive automobile parts in his vehicle when his reliever reported for duty. The next day all hell broke loose when the workshop staff discovered that the said parts were missing from the shop floor.
The Security Manager in charge of that area went to the site and carried out an investigation which revealed that the guard in question had made a call to someone from a colleague’s cell phone. He could trace out the number which he called and came to know that it belonged to an auto repair shop in the neighbouring town some 20 kms away. He posed as a customer and asked whether a second hand ‘such-and-such’ part was available for his car ? On an affirmative answer from the other end he grew suspicious and visited the repair shop. He asked the shop owner if the part (a high end assembly) had been purchased by him from someone recently and informed him that the matter was under investigation (though it had not been yet been reported).
The shop owner admitted that he had indeed purchased such an item from the security guard whose contact details he had kept. The errant security guard was confronted with this information whereupon he confessed to the crime. The matter was reported to the Police and the culprit is presently behind bars (after following the due course of disciplinary proceedings). This incident has been given wide publicity so that it deters other personnel who may have a similar bent of mind.
It is not surprising that some mischievous elements are present in the large guard force we have. These are exceptions – the ‘bad apples’ in the basket. What is important is that such incidents have to be seen through to their logical end, the bad apples thrown out and wide publicity given for deterrent effect. Timely response and a quick witted approach by the Security Manager saved the day for us. The assembly in question had been sold for Rs 3000/- whereas it’s actual cost was Rs 36,000/-.
One enterprising security guard who was alone at one of our facilities (normally paired duty) thought he could make a fast buck and none would be the wiser. He drove off with some expensive automobile parts in his vehicle when his reliever reported for duty. The next day all hell broke loose when the workshop staff discovered that the said parts were missing from the shop floor.
The Security Manager in charge of that area went to the site and carried out an investigation which revealed that the guard in question had made a call to someone from a colleague’s cell phone. He could trace out the number which he called and came to know that it belonged to an auto repair shop in the neighbouring town some 20 kms away. He posed as a customer and asked whether a second hand ‘such-and-such’ part was available for his car ? On an affirmative answer from the other end he grew suspicious and visited the repair shop. He asked the shop owner if the part (a high end assembly) had been purchased by him from someone recently and informed him that the matter was under investigation (though it had not been yet been reported).
The shop owner admitted that he had indeed purchased such an item from the security guard whose contact details he had kept. The errant security guard was confronted with this information whereupon he confessed to the crime. The matter was reported to the Police and the culprit is presently behind bars (after following the due course of disciplinary proceedings). This incident has been given wide publicity so that it deters other personnel who may have a similar bent of mind.
It is not surprising that some mischievous elements are present in the large guard force we have. These are exceptions – the ‘bad apples’ in the basket. What is important is that such incidents have to be seen through to their logical end, the bad apples thrown out and wide publicity given for deterrent effect. Timely response and a quick witted approach by the Security Manager saved the day for us. The assembly in question had been sold for Rs 3000/- whereas it’s actual cost was Rs 36,000/-.
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