A petrol station employee has admitted embezzling almost £2,000 from his employers.
Robert Edwards took the money over a nine-month period while working at BP’s Bullionfield filling station at Invergowrie.
Starting small, he embezzled just a few pounds at a time, voiding tobacco sales and pocketing the money in a bid to dig himself out of money problems.
He was unaware, however, that he was soon under the surveillance of a watchful branch manager who had begun to notice discrepancies in stock records.
“The average was initially around £20 to £25 a week,” depute fiscal Nicola Mannison told Perth Sheriff Court.
“The cigarettes were kept behind the counter and could not have been stolen by a member of the public.
“The manager monitored the situation and found that it was gradually becoming worse as stock records for other items also began to show discrepancies.”
After investigations ruled out delivery drivers as the culprits, suspicion fell on members of the filling station’s staff and then swiftly upon 26-year-old Edwards.
The court heard that his manager had monitored his conduct for nine months, during which time Edwards took around £1,800. The matter was later reported to the police.
Edwards, of Smith Street, Dundee admitted embezzling the sum on dates between June 1, 2010 and February 18 this year while employed as a sales assistant.
Solicitor Louisa Wade said her client had been employed for around six months, accepting that money troubles had then persuaded him to supplement his income by stealing.
“He began taking small amounts over a period of time, but never intended that it would go so far,” she said.
Sheriff Michael Fletcher sentenced Edwards to 150 hours of community service and ordered him to pay £1,800 compensation to his former employers.