Asda manager steals £50,000 using paper trick
Asda manager steals £50,000 using paper trickManager jailed for stealing £50,000 from self-scanning machines to fund his gambling addiction
Coughlin had been coming into the store early to empty the self-scan machines. He would take some of the money, and then doctor the rest of the cash by inserting pieces of paper into bundles of notes, before storing them in the store's safe.
Crime
The Liverpool Echo reported that he was working with 34-year-old chief cashier Deborah Croft from Wigan, whose job required her to check the contents of the safe using an electronic cash counting machine. She would override the machine to make it look as though the correct money was there, and take it to the bank. She then manipulated computer records to cover the dishonesty.
The plan was foiled by a fellow employee, who spotted the doctored cash bundles in the safe. She reported it to Coughlin, who told her to sign the check sheet to say it was all normal, and that he would get the senior cashier, Croft, to check. Croft later told the employee that everything was normal, but she smelled a rat and reported them. An area manager came to the store and Croft confessed.
Croft
According to The Mirror, Croft said the pair had been in a secret relationship and Coughlin had pushed her to help him with the thefts. The judge said: "You ensnared her (Croft) and corrupted her into your wrongdoing. She overrode her natural sense of decency and honesty." She was sentenced to eight months - suspended for 18 months - reflecting the fact that she didn't profit from the scheme, and had lost her career as a result of it.
Coughlin said he had been taking the money for nine months because of gambling debts, but said he was married and that he and Croft were not having an affair.
- Asda
Coughlin had been coming into the store early to empty the self-scan machines. He would take some of the money, and then doctor the rest of the cash by inserting pieces of paper into bundles of notes, before storing them in the store's safe.
Crime
The Liverpool Echo reported that he was working with 34-year-old chief cashier Deborah Croft from Wigan, whose job required her to check the contents of the safe using an electronic cash counting machine. She would override the machine to make it look as though the correct money was there, and take it to the bank. She then manipulated computer records to cover the dishonesty.
The plan was foiled by a fellow employee, who spotted the doctored cash bundles in the safe. She reported it to Coughlin, who told her to sign the check sheet to say it was all normal, and that he would get the senior cashier, Croft, to check. Croft later told the employee that everything was normal, but she smelled a rat and reported them. An area manager came to the store and Croft confessed.
Croft
According to The Mirror, Croft said the pair had been in a secret relationship and Coughlin had pushed her to help him with the thefts. The judge said: "You ensnared her (Croft) and corrupted her into your wrongdoing. She overrode her natural sense of decency and honesty." She was sentenced to eight months - suspended for 18 months - reflecting the fact that she didn't profit from the scheme, and had lost her career as a result of it.
Coughlin said he had been taking the money for nine months because of gambling debts, but said he was married and that he and Croft were not having an affair.