Security man allowed goods to be stolen from centre

An electrical appliance manufacturer has been awarded just under €80,000 by the High Court after a security company employee allowed €33,000 of stock to be stolen from its warehouse.

The man was recorded on CCTV a number of times over a six-month period leaving Electrolux’s wholesale distribution centre in his Jaguar car shortly after a white van had loaded up stock from the warehouse, the court heard. The security man had permitted the van to enter and leave.

Electrolux Ireland sued G4S Security Systems (Irl) claiming it was in breach of contract to provide a proper security service at its Longmile Rd warehouse.

The firm claimed €103,000, comprising the cost of the stolen goods as well as payments it made to G4S to cover wages for the security man over a two-and-a-half year period.

G4S accepted the thefts took place but argued the sum should be limited to around €50,000, comprising €33,000 for the appliances and around €17,000 for the man’s payments relating only to the six months in 2011 when the stock was stolen.

Mr Justice Michael White awarded the agreed losses of €50,703 for the stock and payments to G4S for security for the January to June 2011 period. To that he added general damages in relation to the 2008-2010 period during which the court was entitled to infer the security man knocked off work up to three hours early each night, he said. The total award was €79,863.