Worker stole from firm’s warehouse

A CROOKED warehouse worker was caught red-handed trying to help himself to designer goods.

Luke Jackson, who was employed by Fenwick, “couldn’t resist temptation” and tried to pocket the expensive items from the store’s warehouse in Camperdown, North Tyneside.

But the 31-year-old had already raised the suspicions of a manager, who stopped him as he was leaving work and ordered a search of his car.

A court heard that a North Face jacket and Hugo Boss socks were found inside.

A subsequent search of Jackson’s home in West Avenue, in North Shields, also revealed stolen Hugo Boss socks and boxer shorts on a previous occasion. In total, the goods were worth £303.

Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of theft by employee and one of possession of cannabis at a hearing before North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court in August last year.

The case was adjourned for three weeks for the preparation of a pre-sentence report but Jackson failed to show on that occasion and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He appeared in custody at the same court last week, where he eventually faced the music and was given an 18-month community order, with 180 hours of unpaid work.

Rebecca Gibson, prosecuting, said Jackson was employed as a warehouse worker with Fenwick on October 4 2019.

“Part of the contract of employment for employees is that they consent to personal searches of their vehicles,” Mrs Gibson continued. “On October 4, a manager was made aware of empty stock boxes that had been found in the warehouse, so carried out those searches.

“The defendant was seen to leave the warehouse and walk towards his vehicle.

He was carrying a hi-vis jacket under his arm. She approached the defendant and saw the defendant throw the hi-vis jacket into the boot of his car.”

The court heard that the manager informed Jackson his vehicle was being searched and the North Face jacket and Hugo Boss socks were discovered.

A subsequent police search of his home found the other stolen items and a small quantity of cannabis.

Mark Harrison, mitigating, said Jackson, who has 22 offences on his record, had been made aware of “a number of people” taking items from the warehouse and had succumbed to temptation.

Mr Harrison added: “He acknowledges he was extremely foolish. He was not very good at it as he left a trail and the property was recovered. The items were taken in an unprofessional manner, he enters an immediate guilty plea and all the property was recovered.”

Magistrates also ordered Jackson to pay £85 costs and a £90 victim surcharge.