No strangers to security blunders, G4S is in the headlines again.  This time it’s because one of their security guards helped himself to around £1 million from an armoured G4S security vehicle. We would bet money that Joe March didn’t experience a London polygraph examination during the pre-employment screening process.

Who is Joe March?

March was a security guard employed by G4S on armoured security vehicle duty. These vehicles often carry large sums of cash and other valuables.  He is the father of 3 children and lives in Clapham, SW London. He is 36 years old. March admitted the theft of £970,000 from G4S when he appeared at the Magistrates Court in Camberwell this week.  He will be sentenced in May.

Theft of £970,000

On the morning of 23 April this year March parked the security vehicle in Larkhall Rise, London SW8. Residents witnessed him leaving and returning to the vehicle on a number of occasions between 8:57am and 9:40am. Parked on double yellow lines, the security vehicle remained there for over 8 hours before the police arrived.

March was later located in Brixton and the police recovered £60,000. The remaining cash is still missing. At the time of his arrest, March made reference to mental health issues and complained about his employers.

G4S has launched an investigation into the robbery which has been described by security experts as a ‘catastrophic security blunder’.

Despite the absence of communication from the driver, G4S didn’t log the vehicle as abandoned until 8 hours later. When they received a call from a concerned citizen at around 5:30pm they didn’t appear to be overly worried, according to the caller.

In the cash security business, it is highly unusual for security guards not to be in communication with their base regularly

Other G4S blunders

In 2012, G4S received a contract to provide 50% of the Olympic Games security personnel.  This amounted to around 12,000 staff the firm would have to supply for the event. Just over 2 weeks prior to the Olympic Games G4S admitted that it couldn’t supply them. In consequence the Army was called upon to assist.

In 2013, G4S had to refund the Ministry of Justice £109 million which was erroneously overcharged for criminal electronic tagging services.

The company has been embroiled in scandalous incompetency several times including on one occasion of unlawfully killing prisoner, Jimmy Mubenga , whilst trying to restrain him.

Its mismanagement and incompetence in prisons led to the Ministry of Justice taking back control of HMP Birmingham and thereby the loss of a 15 year contract for G4S.

Following a BBC documentary in 2017, showing G4S staff ‘assaulting and abusing’ immigrants at Brook House Immigration Centre, G4S suspended 9 of its employees. If each of these staff had been subject to a London polygraph examination, it is highly unlikely they would have been employed by any security company.

We could go on but it is quite apparent that the pre-employment screening process at G4S is sadly lacking.

London Polygraph Examination Service

We invite G4S to contact us to learn how our London Polygraph Examination Service can restore reputations and improve recruitment processes.