A survey of 500 small to medium business owners in Australia has found nearly one in five respondents lost more than 10 per cent of annual profit to theft.
The survey was carried out by electronic security company ADT Security in October 2012 and canvassed owners and employees of businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
A total of 55 per cent of business respondents said they had been burgled, 27 per cent of respondents said employees had stolen merchandise, 22 per cent of respondents said employees had stolen cash, and 16 per cent of respondents said they had encountered fraud.
Twenty-six per cent of respondents said they had experienced shoplifting and 25 per cent of respondents said they had been vandalised.
While 19 per cent of respondents said they had lost more than 10 per cent of annual profit to crime, 60 per cent of respondents said crime accounted for losing 5 per cent of their annual profit.
