SAN JOSE, Calif. — Some 67 percent of employees have taken office supplies from work to use outside the office or for matters unrelated to the job, according to a survey from Vault Inc.

Pens and “Post-It Notes” are the most popular items for the employee "five finger discount," according to Vault, a media company that is focused on careers.

Some 60 percent of those who admit taking office supplies go for pens and pencils, and 40 percent take Post-Its, according to Vault (New York). Vault's 2005 Office Supplies Survey, conducted earlier this month, is comprised of 1152 responses from employees representing a variety of industries across the U.S.

Other popular items stolen from the supply closet: envelopes (32 percent of employees who admit to taking office supplies have grabbed envelopes), notepads (28 percent), paper (27.5 percent), paper clips (26 percent) and highlighters (24 percent).

Only 3 percent of employees say they have pilfered more extravagant items from the workplace, such as office chairs, keyboards, modems, software and computer monitors.

In one response in the survey, one employee said: "Does a plant count as 'extravagant?' I took it home to save its life."