A FORFAR shop worker who stole £20,000 from a filing cabinet at his employer’s business was jailed for nine months yesterday.
Mark Milligan (23) later returned the five-figure sum by putting it under his boss’s car although the businessman claimed as much as £60,000 of savings and takings had been stolen.
Milligan, of East High Street, reappeared from custody yesterday for sentencing at the town’s sheriff court having earlier admitted forcing open a lockfast filing cabinet at Nickel and Dime and stealing the cash.
Depute fiscal Hazel Anderson said staff were aware where money was kept, but only the shop owner and his wife had a key for the cabinet.
On the day of the offence, the owner was away and Milligan told a co-worker he had to pop out, but left the shop and did not return.
The co-worker then noticed the filing cabinet had been forced open and tried to contact the accused, but he did not answer her calls.
She then contacted the owner, breaking down in tears.
Ms Anderson said CCTV evidence revealed Milligan had switched off two cameras for six minutes, but he was seen prior to the incident removing a pair of gloves from a stand in the shop.
Milligan denied being responsible, but a few days after the offence the shop owner received an anonymous message asking if he would drop the police investigation if what was his was returned.
The £20,000 was then left under the businessman’s car.
Defence solicitor Jim Caird said his client was firm that he had returned all of the money he took, and the sum was not the £50/£60,000 as indicated by the business owner.
gbrown@thecourier.co.uk