Gas, eggs, meat, milk, copper, aluminum.  No, it’s not a recipe for the worst omelet ever, it’s the things that people are stealing because of the economic downturn. Now more than ever background checks are becoming important to your business. It is just a sad fact that people turn to theft in order to supplement their income when high prices hit us, this also includes employee theft. Proper background screening of your employees can protect your business and give you peace of mind. It’s true that it is tough out there and you may feel sorry for some people that resort to stealing but that doesn’t mean you have to put your business, family or employees at risk. 1/3 of all businesses fail because of theft. Why open yourself up to that risk? Employee theft is said to cost American businesses up to 40 billion dollars a year. There are also other intangibles associated with theft such as court costs, jail time and lost productivity. As a responsible business owner you owe it to yourself and society to make sure you are hiring the most honest employees that you can.