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Court: Peterborough shop manager in £4,600 theft
News from The Peterborough Evening Telegraph, www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk
A STORE manager who stole more than £4,000 worth of cash, cigarettes and scratch cards from the shop where she worked could face time in jail.
Joan Cannon (52) stole the items from the One Stop store in Parnwell, Peterborough, between June and December last year.
Peterborough Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday (8 February) how Cannon, of Whittington, Parnwell, Peterborough, tried to cover her tracks by altering stocktakes but was found out when the company’s area manager did a stock count and noticed packets of cigarettes were missing.
She pleaded guilty to theft by an employee and the case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report.
However, chairman of the bench Lionel Cunnington told Cannon that the theft was a “serious matter” and that custody would be an option that would be considered.
Jackie Knight, prosecuting, said over the six-month period Cannon stole £1,693 in cash, £1,474 worth of scratch cards and over £1,300 in cigarettes – making a total value of £4,657.
She said: “The defendant worked in the shop as store manager and did stocktakes on cash, scratch cards and tobacco on a daily basis.
“On December 27 last year the company’s area manager visited the store and did a stock count and he noticed that 37 packets of cigarettes were missing.
“He interviewed the defendant who said she had stolen them and amended the stock figures so the theft wouldn’t show up.
“A sales report on cigarettes also showed wrong figures. It listed eight packets in stock but there weren’t any in the store.
“Further investigations found that £1,693 was missing from the store’s ATM safe.
“The defendant wrote a letter to the firm’s area manager confessing to the full extent of the theft.”
The court heard that Cannon, who has since been dismissed from her job which she had had for seven years, carried out the thefts following personal problems.
Ms Knight added: “The defendant had issues with her husband which caused her a lot of stress and she was put on anti-depressants.
“They later split up and she started drinking and smoking heavily.
“Stealing the cigarettes, money and scratch cards was her way of coping with what happened and gave her money to live on.”
Sara Young, defending, said: “This is not an insignificant amount of money which was stolen.
“The defendant realises that all sentencing options are open and this is the appropriate view.”
Cannon was released on unconditional bail and will return to court on March 1.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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