The determinants of employee crime in the UK

We present evidence on employee theft in the UK using data on actual recorded crime, in a model where employees are 'rational cheaters' whose theft decisions may also be influenced by individual characteristics. We produce hypotheses about the role of labour market deterrence and individual influences on employee theft. We then examine the role of these influences using regional crime data supplemented by data from the UK Labour Force Survey and the Home Office. Our results provide information on employee theft as a particular type of crime, on policy that may help to combat it, and on alternative views of the motivation for crime.