$295,000: B.C. city fires worker over ‘unreconciled’ gift card purchases

Richmond suspends use of gift cards for employee recognition

BY Jim Wilson 21 May 2025

The British Columbia city of Richmond has fired an employee over a case of theft that spanned a couple of years, according to media reports.

The city confirmed the termination after a routine audit uncovered significant discrepancies in its gift card program, which had issued gift cards to employees as rewards for performance, long service, retirement, and participation in charitable activities, reports the Vancouver Sun.

An internal review revealed that the city purchased approximately $446,000 worth of gift cards between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2024. Of that amount, $121,000 was properly distributed, and another $31,000 remains in the custody of the human resources department.

However, approximately $295,000 in gift cards remains unaccounted for and unreconciled.

Two in three employees in the United States have confessed to committing at least one type of theft at their current workplace, according to a new survey.

Richmond suspends gift cards program

The city has since suspended the use of gift cards for employee recognition. The program for individual employee excellence ended in autumn 2024, while its use for long-serving and retiring employees was phased out earlier this spring.

“We ended it because we started to find that there were some inconsistencies in the way they were being purchased,” says Richmond city spokesman Clay Adams in the Vancouver Sun. “As a result, we thought best to stop the use of gift cards for employee recognition.”

A forensic audit into the program is ongoing.

Richmond has referred the matter to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for further investigation.

When asked about the lack of financial accountability, Mayor Malcolm Brodie says to CKNW radio, “There are internal controls on everything at City Hall and and how this could have, whatever happened, how it could have gone on for a number of years. I cannot, at this point, comment on,” accordion to a Global News report.

“I can say there are controls on. I only assume that there’s been some kind of a breakdown.”

How do you solve employee theft?

Employers can stop employee theft by implementing different strategies, according to DreamWorks Global Logistics Limited:

Create a clear and comprehensive policy on employee theft and communicate it to all employees.
Conduct thorough background checks on new hires and verify their references, education, and work history.
Install security cameras, locks, alarms, and other devices to monitor and protect the premises, inventory, cash registers, and other valuable assets.
Conduct regular and random audits of inventory, cash, and records to detect any discrepancies or signs of theft.
Educate employees about the impact of theft on the business, customers, and themselves..