Luke Tyson Strickland pleaded guilty to stealing by clerks and servants

The cunning way a Qld service station worker managed to siphon thousands and pinch more than 440 packets of tobacco before he was caught can be revealed.

A worker at a busy Bruce Highway service station stole $44,000 worth of cash and cigarettes while he was employed at the business, a court has heard.

A worker at a busy Bruce Highway service station stole $44,000 worth of cash and cigarettes from the business.

Luke Tyson Strickland, 30, pleaded guilty in Maryborough Magistrates Court to entering premises and committing an indictable offence by break, stealing by clerks and servants and fraudulently producing or using any record which is false.

The court heard Strickland had been a “low-level” employee at Tiaro’s United Service station.

During his time as an employee between July and September 2024, Strickland systematically stole more than $22,000 from his employer.

The method involved creating a customer account to balance daily orders, not a fuel card.

Strickland stole 444 packets of tobacco.

In addition to the theft, Strickland was also involved in a break-in at the same service station where he stole 444 packets of tobacco valued at nearly $22,000.

On that occasion, Strickland had cut power and removed a CCTV hard drive, along with a fixed Wi-Fi camera.

The court agreed on a compensation amount of $12,500 for this offence and about $22,000 for the offence of stealing by clerks and servants.

Defence lawyer Morgan Harris said Strickland lacked any significant prior criminal history and his mental health challenges, including severe depression and anxiety.

He said it was Strickland’s first time in custody and it had exacerbated his mental health conditions.

Mr Harris described the stealing offence as “unsophisticated”.

He said Strickland had worked in casual and cash-in-hand jobs since leaving school.

He also stole $22,000 from the business.

Strickland had an elderly mother who he intended to live with upon his release from prison.

Mr Harris said Strickland was also willing to repay the agreed amount through SPER.

Strickland was sentenced to 21 months in prison, to be suspended after serving 168 days for an operational period of two years.

Strickland had already spent 168 days in presentence custody.

Magistrate John Milburn said that while it had been argued that Strickland’s offending was unsophisticated, there had been a degree of sophistication through the use of the fake account used to balance the orders.

“The method was relatively sophisticated,” Mr Milburn said.

“The defendant was using an account number, not a fuel card, and created a customer account for himself to balance daily orders.

“But ultimately, the amounts were detected and that amount and the other amount has not been the subject of any repayment.”

Convictions were recorded on all charges and Strickland was ordered to pay the agreed compensation.