Worker faces jail over cash down trousers scam
AMANCHESTER United kiosk worker from Rochdale is facing jail after a sting caught staff stuffing money down their trousers.
Secret cameras were installed at an Old Trafford burger stand after tills were down day after day.
Matchday employees, including team leader Fliavio Andrade, 22, of Lydford, Freehold, who was said to be at the centre of the scam, were then caught helping themselves to takings, Manchester Magistrates Court heard.
Now seven workers have been convicted of theft by an employee.
Andrade and Anthony Agabaje, 21, of Folkestone Road West, Clayton, and Mustafa Belkhair, 20, of Beamish Close, Ardwick, denied wrongdoing but were found guilty at a trial.
Lugman Arogundada, 22, of Charlestown Road, Blackley, Mwila Bwanga, 20, of Welbeck Street, Gorton, Olamide Oyawaye, 21, of Elfan Crescent, Sandbach and Justino Edmilson, 22, of Tatton Close, Hazel Grove all pleaded guilty to theft.
The seven were linked to around £600 taken when Old Trafford hosted a rugby league match.
Heather Alsop, prosecuting, told court Fliavio Andrade, who was team leader at the EK03 kiosk, was at the centre of the scam.
A peephole camera was installed at that kiosk after bosses noticed the tills were repeatedly down.
After the clash between Warrington Wolves and Wigan Warriors at Manchester United’s ground on Saturday, October 8, last year, the tills at the kiosk were found to be £382 short. A full stock check revealed more than £200 of food and drink was missing as well.
CCTV was analysed and the men were arrested.
Mrs Alsop said: “There is evidence the defendants took money from the till and put it down their trousers as well as inside blue gloves meant for hygiene.”
At his trial Agabaje said he had not stolen any money and it was in fact a bag of cannabis and two joints which he was seen putting down his boxer shorts in the CCTV footage.
He claimed he was high on the drug during his shift so “I didn’t really know what I was doing.”
Belkhair, of Beamish Close, Ardwick, claimed he had been given a “considerable” amount of money in tips and hid them in his trousers as he was scared at having them confiscated.
However District Judge Mark Hadfield described their explanations as ‘fanciful’ and found them both guilty of theft. He said: “I have absolutely no doubt you were acting dishonestly and in doing so were trying to deprive the club of that money.”
All seven will be sentenced at Manchester Crown Court next month.