Store boss was caught on CCTV stealing £4,000 cash
ASUPERMARKET manager who stole more than £4,000 in cash was caught by CCTV at the store showing her stuffing wads of notes into an envelope.
Rachael Helen Bennett, 30 had worked for Cooperative Food Stores for seven years and at the time of the offence was assistant manager at the Hurdsfield Road branch in Macclesfield, Chester Crown Court heard.
Jayne Morris, prosecuting said that Bennett, of Meadow Way, Macclesfield, had returned from a two-week holiday to work at 1.40pm on August 6 last year where another manager carried out a shift handover.
On August 10 a cash pick up was made, supervised by the second manager and it was noticed that £4,025 was missing for the collection.
Miss Morris, said: “CCTV was reviewed of activity in the shop on August 6 which showed the defendant placing cash into a brown envelope which she then placed down the side of a computer.
“The following day she did not attend for her shift.
“She self-certified as sick and did not return to work at the store.
“After being arrested she gave full and frank admissions to officers.”
The court heard that Co-operative Food Stores began disciplinary measures against Bennett and she was later sacked for gross misconduct.
Bennett, a former Tytherington High School and Macclesfield College student, pleaded guilty to a single count of theft at an earlier hearing.
The court heard she had no previous convictions and had since paid the money back.
A letter was handed the Judge, Patrick Thompson, from the defendant in which she apologised for her actions.
Defending, Peter Malone, said: “Having established a career at the Co-op for seven years this court is the last place she expected to be.
“She apologises to all the parties affected for behaving in this way.
“She is remorseful and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.”
No explanation for the offence was offered during the hearing.
Sentencing Bennett, Judge Thompson told her that her conviction meant that ‘you have lost your good name, lost your job and more than likely lost your self respect’.
She was given a six month prison sentence, suspended for a year, ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid work and told to undertake 20 days of rehabilitation work with the probation service.