Detective Agency Heilbronn | Private Detectives in Heilbronn, Germany*

Aaden Corporate Detective Agency operates with experienced detectives in Heilbronn and throughout Baden-Württemberg for corporate and private clients in a wide variety of suspected cases: +49 711 7153 011-0.

Scrap Metal Theft in Heilbronn (Case Example of Our Corporate Detectives in Heilbronn)

The managing director of a GmbH from Heilbronn, whom we will call Mr. Mainhardt, had a substantiated suspicion based on an anonymous tip from the workforce that a specific employee, together with at least one external accomplice, was systematically stealing metal scrap from company inventory and reselling it. Mr. Mainhardt therefore commissioned our corporate detectives for Heilbronn* to investigate his suspicion.

Scrap metal theft may seem trivial to some, as the term "scrap" is often associated with worthlessness and waste, but trading in scrap metal is quite lucrative. On the company premises in Heilbronn, scrap in the form of stainless steel, copper, and various hard metals was stored. Average prices per kilogram can reach up to 6.50 €; one kilogram of metal generally does not take up much space, meaning that a pile of scrap metal that appears small in volume can have a significant mass and therefore a considerable value. Accordingly, companies engaged in scrap trading or processing have a strong interest in safeguarding their inventory and production materials and not falling victim to theft. By engaging our detective agency in Heilbronn*, Mr. Mainhardt acted correctly and consistently with the intention of preventing further damage to his business.

Lack of Security Concept: An Invitation for Metal Thieves

Since the managing director was unable to narrow down the timeframes of the suspected thefts (whether during or outside working hours), he agreed with our detective team in Heilbronn* to conduct continuous 24-hour surveillance until the perpetrator or perpetrators were identified. Such measures require patience and budget, as the likelihood of achieving an immediate success without a specific assumption regarding the time of the offense is generally low. This factor should never be overlooked when calculating expected investigative success and detective fees.

During the preliminary reconnaissance (site inspection) at the company premises, it quickly became clear to our detectives in Heilbronn* that the area was essentially an open invitation for metal thieves. Adjacent to the unmonitored employee parking lot was an unlocked and rarely frequented area without access controls where metals were stored. Any dishonest employee could load inventory into their vehicle without attracting attention. To verify this observation, our specialist in surveillance area reconnaissance simulated and documented a theft: first, he walked across the premises at a normal pace to determine whether he attracted attention; then he drove his vehicle directly to the open storage area and calmly loaded several pieces of metal into the trunk. Even a forklift was readily available to facilitate loading larger quantities into a truck. The investigator then returned the metal to its rightful storage location and prepared an analysis of the (virtually nonexistent) security measures. In consultation with the operations management of Aaden Corporate Detective Agency, Mr. Mainhardt was strongly advised to implement a security concept by our security specialists after completion of the surveillance operations.

Working Time Fraud, Drug Dealing, and Theft by Third Parties? Numerous Irregularities Emerge

Even during the initial surveillance operations conducted by the detectives of our corporate detective agency in Heilbronn*, several irregularities were observed:

• Without the involvement of a company employee, an empty truck ignored a prohibition sign, entered the premises, and later returned with scrap metal in its container, only to drive less than one kilometer further to another company site and unload the material there.
• Two unknown male individuals entered the premises on foot and left again carrying two metal chairs, which they loaded into a nearby parked vehicle before driving away – the incident was, of course, documented and the license plate recorded. Apparently, the self-service nature of the site had become known.
• The target person of our Heilbronn detectives* was not observed on the first day of surveillance, even though they were theoretically scheduled to work. This raised an additional suspicion of working time fraud alongside the suspected commercial theft.
• Some workers relieved themselves not in the designated restrooms but at fences or building walls, which certainly did not contribute positively to the maintenance of the property.
• A frequent exchange of suspicious, opaque plastic bags was observed, leading to concerns that the premises were also being used for drug-related activities.
• On multiple occasions, a room in the administrative building was illuminated in the middle of the night, with at least two individuals present. According to Mr. Mainhardt, this was not permitted, as all employees were required to leave the premises after working hours.

As there was now a very concrete suspicion of working time fraud, an additional observer was deployed to intercept the target person at their residence and verify whether they were fulfilling their work obligations properly.

Detectives Observe Nighttime Warehouse Theft

On the fourth night after the start of surveillance, the decisive criminal acts occurred: a small truck with an open loading area approached the entrance gate of the company premises at around two o’clock in the morning. The passenger, clearly identifiable in the headlights as the target person of our investigators, got out and unlocked the gate with a key. The driver then reversed toward a warehouse, which was also opened by the target person. Both individuals then used a small crane attachment to load scrap metal onto the truck while our corporate detectives in Heilbronn* documented the process and captured images of the accomplice. Once the loading area was sufficiently filled, the thieves left the scene and carefully locked everything again.

They transported their stolen goods directly to a scrap dealer near Aschaffenburg. The dealer appeared to be expecting them, as he willingly accepted the stolen goods and paid them in cash. Our detectives from Baden-Württemberg informed Mr. Mainhardt of the observations, and it was agreed to temporarily suspend the investigation.

Identification of the Accomplice | Development of a Security Concept by Security Specialists

Through a vehicle ownership investigation and based on the images from the incident, the accomplice was later identified, as the small truck was registered in his name. It was also determined that the target person had definitely not appeared for work on one of the surveillance days, yet someone had clocked in on their behalf; on another day, the target person was likewise not observed on the premises despite being scheduled to work. However, since our private detectives in Heilbronn* were not able to monitor the entire premises at all times, and as the target person had not yet been observed at their residence on that day, no definitive conclusion could be drawn in this regard. Ultimately, the issue of working time fraud became largely irrelevant, as the employee was conclusively proven to have stolen company property.

After the completion and evaluation of the surveillance, Mr. Mainhardt met with our security specialists from Stuttgart to discuss preventive measures against future theft. Together, Aaden Detective Agency Stuttgart and the managing director developed a security concept whose implementation did not incur excessive costs but significantly improved theft prevention.

Notice

Note: For reasons of discretion and data protection, the locations and certain personal details have been altered without changing the substance of the actual events.

*Note: All assignments of Aaden Detective Agency Stuttgart are processed by our operations management in Stuttgart. We have a network of qualified, vetted investigators who can be active on site for you within a short time.