The phrasing is odd indeed.

In any case in communism majority of theft was committed by the workers themselves, so any guards would likely be in on it anyway.

The real economic system and its currency at the same time was the massive web of connections and favours. How does one guard that?

My grandfather, who was a surgeon, was reportedly particularly good at obtaining scarce goods like toilet paper - most likely as a token of gratitude for the procedures he performed.