A Warwickshire detective agency has boosted its staff numbers by almost 20 per cent in response to rising levels of business-related crime.

Expert Investigations, based at the University of Warwick Science Park’s Business Innovation Centre in Binley, has recruited three full-time and three part-time specialist staff to take its workforce to 38.

The detective investigation agency was set up by former Warwickshire Police intelligence officer David Kearns more than 12 years ago.

It specialises in providing confidential enquiries into theft, fraud, false absenteeism, employment issues, breach of contracts, security and risk assessment.

Developments in technology which have made it easier for people to defraud their employers have led to an increase in work for the agency

“The increasing advances in technology is making it very easy to commit offences in theft, fraud and dishonesty and people are more prevalent to commit internal theft,” said Mr Kearns, the managing director of the company.

“We have taken on three former officers from the police crime unit as part of our fraud squad and three former national surveillance and anti-terrorism officers,” he added.

Mr Kearns said the core of the agency’s work remained centred on theft and fraud in companies ranging from plcs to SMEs.

“The majority of our work covers false absenteeism, false claims, harassment in the workplace and fraud which is increasingly prevalent these days,” he said.

Explaining why firms came to the agency for help Mr Kearns added: “Businesses can have had a tip-off from an employee, a customer or a supplier or they may have found something in their company accounts which doesn’t quite add up and we are called in to help prove or disprove the claims.

“We gather the evidence and then preserve and present it to our client. We work across all sectors from the legal sector and manufacturing to banking and telecoms.

“Some of our investigations can take up to a year and others can be wrapped-up in three to five days.

“We also run seminars to give advice and have been part of advisory panels which have written white papers on preventing business crime.”