The restaurant industry is pretty much the same as any other when it comes to staff pilfering and theft. What sets it apart from many other businesses is that the majority of restaurants are small businesses for whom the loss of a few hundred bucks a night is a big deal. Wal*Mart doesn't mind, they just pass the cost on - you do mind and can't just raise prices.

We ask Mike White of  Omni Career Search - a well known recruiter and restaurant consultant who is certified in Loss Prevention (LPC) - to share some common questions about pilfering and how best to avoid it.

Q: What is the most common theft amongst bartenders?

The top five we have uncovered in the past year have been as follows:

* Hooking up friends and family with free drinks and food.
* Pocketing cash transactions.
* Overpouring for a better tip.
* Stealing bottles of liquor and cases of beer.
* Giving away free drinks for a better tip.