WILLEMSTAD - Three employees of Aquarian Pet Store have been sentenced to eighty hours of community service and three years on probation for their involvement in embezzlement within the company. The verdict was delivered on Wednesday by the court, which found the trio guilty of stealing goods and money.
The individuals in question include two women aged 25 and 26, as well as a 57-year-old man who were arrested in November and detained for ten days. It was alleged that they conspired to commit theft of goods and money from the company.
The store owner had accused them of stealing 150,000 guilders, but the court ruled that this claim could not be substantiated. The owner contended that the three former employees would frequently disconnect the internet connection to conduct transactions outside the cash register.
Notably, none of the individuals involved had any prior criminal record, which was taken into consideration by the judge during the sentencing. In addition to the community service, the trio will be on probation for three years.
The case has shed light on the importance of implementing proper internal controls and security measures within businesses to prevent such incidents from occurring. Aquarian Pet Store will likely review its operational procedures and security protocols to avoid any future occurrences of embezzlement or theft.