ARGOS WORKER TRADED STOLEN GAMES TO FUND COCAINE HABIT

Man caught after manager spotted large quantities of stock missing

THIEVING Argos worker Ryan Mulliner has lost his job after stealing games and headphones worth £1,271 to fund his drug habit.

The 23-year-old was a customer adviser for Argos on Festival Park, when he stole computer console games and Apple Airpods and sold them at second-hand goods chain CEX.

Magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard Mulliner used the money to pay off debts and fund his cocaine use.

But his crimes were uncovered when a retail manager noticed a high number of computer console games missing. A search of staff was undertaken in November last year and Mulliner was found to have three console games in his coat pocket.

Now Mulliner, of Saturn Road, Smallthorne, has been handed a community order and must complete 200 hours’ unpaid work after admitting theft by an employee.

Prosecutor Karen Wright said: “The defendant was employed as a customer adviser for eight years.

“The retail manager in September 2019 began to notice a high volume of computer console games missing. She began to suspect they were stolen by somebody in there as there was no other reasonable explanation.

“In November 2019, a search of staff members was carried out and the defendant was found to have three console games in his coat pocket.

“They interviewed the defendant who denied the theft and said he’d purchased the games on the Argos site. After checking, that was found not to be the case.

“They made checks with the store CEX and it was found that the defendant had an account with them. They provided a spreadsheet that showed the games provided and they were the same games missing from the stock report.

“He was interviewed in December 2019. The CEX spreadsheet was put to him. He admitted he had got an account, but couldn’t explain the games and airpods listed. “Police interviewed him. He stated he had debts and was using drugs heavily and couldn’t see a way out. He took the games to CEX and traded them in.

“He was falling out with his mum and dad and using cocaine over the weekend. At that time, drug use was a problem. He admitted to lying to Argos who fired him.”

Alan Dawson, mitigating, asked the magistrates to take into account the defendant’s financial position when considering the amount of compensation he must pay.

He said: “Take into account the gentleman’s income at this time and matters such as costs he may incur today.” Magistrates handed the defendant a 12-month community order with a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement. He must also complete the unpaid work and pay £750 in compensation.