DAF warehouse manager may not be fired after robbery
17 June 2025
Truck parts worth a total of nearly €3 million were stolen from truck manufacturer DAF in Eindhoven in the second half of 2024. Mainly involved were atomisers, costly engine parts of over €1,000 each. In total, over 2,800 pieces disappeared from the warehouse. After internal investigations and camera footage, several employees were suspected and four of them were immediately fired.
Logistics employee was involved, but not intentionally
A fifth employee, who has worked at DAF for 28 years, was also suspected after he drove away four pallets of parts from the warehouse at the request of his supervisor. The man stated that he did not know about the theft and was only carrying out an order. However, he did feel that “something was not right”, but did not report it to his employer
DAF wanted dismissal, without compensation
DAF still tried to dismiss the employee, without severance pay, because, according to the company, he had ‘looked away’ and ‘kept quiet’ during a serious incident. However, the logistics employee refused to sign a severance agreement and went to court, demanding to be allowed back to work
Judge rules: warning is enough
The subdistrict court ruled that the employee should indeed have reported the incident, but found dismissal too harsh after 28 years of flawless service. It also found that DAF had not properly informed its staff about the duty to report suspicious situations. Moreover, the employee was acting on the instructions of his supervisor, on whom he was dependent. According to the court, an official warning was in order and DAF must reinstate the employee.
Conclusion
The judge ruled that DAF went too far with dismissal in this case. The employee was allowed to return because it was not proven that he knowingly collaborated in the theft and because DAF itself made mistakes in communicating company rules.