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17 southeast Qld workers caught stealing from their employer | Listed

Fraudulent refunds, fake transfers, schemes to plunder stock and good old-fashioned cash pocketing. This is how these dishonest southeast Queensland employees were caught out.

Australia's wildest fraudsters: The biggest and boldest cons

It’s any business owner’s nightmare: employees who seem outwardly trustworthy but under the sweet exterior they are stealing from out under you.

The hairdresser who plundered cash to feed his drug addiction; the payroll manager who gobbled up hundreds of thousands of dollars to gamble; the duty manager who stole thousands as revenge for a row with management – these 18 people below wanted more than was their due, and paid the price for it.

CLARENCE JOSEPH

Plundered $1300 to feed cocaine and methamphetamine addiction.

Ellen Grove man Clarence Hyacinth Joseph, a former employee of hairdressing chain Salon Express, stole from the Browns Plains and Robina outlets on August 13 last year.

At Robina, he took cash from the storeroom after a haircut, while at Browns Plains he used his key to access the till after hours.

Ellen Grove barber Clarence Hyacinth Joseph. Picture: Facebook
Ellen Grove barber Clarence Hyacinth Joseph. Picture: Facebook

Defence lawyer Shane Elliott told the court the thefts were “out of character” and his client had dealt with his addiction.

Joseph pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court to two counts of stealing as a servant and was placed on 12 months’ probation, with no convictions recorded.

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CASSANDRA MORGAN

Helped a friend steal $5559 worth of cash and stock as revenge for her firing.

Seventeen Mile Rocks woman Cassandra Lauren Morgan helped an associate on September 23 last year steal the cash and stock from Petbarn Underwood as revenge for the business firing her.

Defence lawyer Michael Bosscher told the court his client had a good work history and aside from her stint at Petbarn, had worked a number of positions in the automotive industry.

Defence lawyer Michael Bosscher and Seventeen Mile Rocks woman Cassandra Lauren Bosscher, 28. Picture: Alex Treacy
Defence lawyer Michael Bosscher and Seventeen Mile Rocks woman Cassandra Lauren Bosscher, 28. Picture: Alex Treacy

Morgan pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court to entering a premises to commit an indictable offence, possessing a relevant substance or thing, and possessing a drug utensil.

Morgan was placed on six months’ probation and ordered to repay half the amount stolen from Petbarn, which equated to $2779.50.

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BLAKE DICKINS

Stole more than $14,000 worth of stock to onsell via Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree.

Bardon man Blake William Dickins found a “glitch in the system” at his workplace at 4WD Supa Centre Brendale, allowing him to fraudulently order more than $14,000 worth of stock between 2018 and 2020.

Dickins used valid gift card numbers to order stock under various names before removing the gift card number from the store’s records.

A total of 32 false purchases were made, all of which were linked to either Dickins’ address or mobile number.

Bardon man Blake William Dickins, 21. Picture: Supplied
Bardon man Blake William Dickins, 21. Picture: Supplied

He was caught out when items he had back ordered using the false gift card method were unable to be provided by the company.

The business recovered about $1500 of stock – other items had been on-sold via online marketplaces.

Dickins pleaded guilty in Pine Rivers Magistrates Court to more than 40 charges, which included 32 counts of stealing as a servant.

He was sentenced to 12 months’ jail with immediate parole.

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COURTNEY BELL

Swindled nearly $44,000 to pay for her lavish wedding.

Courtney Beaumont Bell, 27, of Caboolture, had worked as the payroll officer for Buccini Transport for four years when she began defrauding the company to pay for her $60,000 wedding.

The Brisbane District Court was told Bell stole $43,375 from the Hemmant business by cashing out more than 200 days of leave and superannuation she was not entitled to between June 2017 and July 2018.

She also falsely claimed $2000 in tolls.

Caboolture woman Courtney Beaumont Bell. Picture: Supplied
Caboolture woman Courtney Beaumont Bell. Picture: Supplied

Bell, who was supported in court by her husband, paid the money back, handing over a cheque for $43,375 before pleading guilty to three counts of fraud.

Defence barrister David Crews said Bell was a low risk of reoffending because the fraud had been “situational” and a result of the financial stress of her wedding.

Bell was sentenced to three years’ jail, suspended after serving six months’ behind bars.

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CATHERINE PETERS

Siphoned nearly $400,000 from two businesses to feed her gambling addiction.

Sunshine Coast woman Catherine Maree Peters, 52, has not paid back a cent of the nearly $400,000 she stole from two small businesses between 2014 and 2017.

Peters was working in accounts for Deagon IGA in 2014 when she stole $359,000 over nine months by pocketing sums of cash “daily”.

She left the business after being confronted over the missing money and took a job as payroll manager of a steel construction business at Redland Bay, Brisbane District Court heard.

Sunshine Coast woman Catherine Maree Peters. Picture: File
Sunshine Coast woman Catherine Maree Peters. Picture: File

Peters then used three false employee names without tax file numbers to pay herself $39,000 of fake wages – all while she was aware that police were investigating her theft from the supermarket.

Defence barrister Peter Richards told the court that Peters had a serious gambling problem but had taken steps to address her addiction, attending group therapy sessions on the Sunshine Coast.

“At least she has recognised and taken some action to cope with the addiction that she had,” Mr Richards said.

Peters pleaded guilty to stealing and fraud charges.

She was sentenced to six years’ jail but will be eligible for parole on November 4 this year.

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KIMBERLEY WATSON

Processed $2000 worth of fake refunds to help pay off credit card debt.

Warner woman Kimberley Jade Raewyn Watson was desperate and drowning in credit card debt when she committed 13 fraudulent transactions at Rockwear Chermside between September 16 – December 22, 2019.

The refunds ranged from $70 to $262 and were transferred back into her personal bank account, and two of her personal credit cards.

Warner woman Kimberley Jade Raewyn Watson. Picture: Facebook
Warner woman Kimberley Jade Raewyn Watson. Picture: Facebook

The total amount taken over the six month period amounted to $1927.

According to police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Troy Newman, the suspicious transactions were flagged by the company’s finance department, prompting store employees to conduct a stock take that discovered the items in question had never been put back on the shelves.

Further investigation revealed Watson processed the refunds while logged on to the computer system.

Watson pleaded guilty in Sandgate Magistrates Court to all fraud charges and was sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid community service.

No convictions were recorded.

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JAMES KOPLICK

Used position at paint manufacturer to defraud Bunnings Warehouse of $4156 worth of stock to feed addiction.

Chambers Flat man James David Koplick, 28, used his former position at paint manufacturer Dy-Mark to commit frauds against Bunnings Warehouses at Capalaba, Toombul and Indooroopilly on December 16 and December 19, 2019.

On the first two occasions, the fraud involved Koplick, dressed in his Dy-Mark uniform, arriving at the Capalaba and Toombul outlets with fraudulent inter-store transfer of goods forms.

Chambers Flat man James David Koplick. Picture: Facebook
Chambers Flat man James David Koplick. Picture: Facebook

The forms claimed the goods he was taking, Makita tool kits and Euromatic portable airconditioners, were for transfer to another store, when in fact they were for Koplick’s personal gain.

Koplick’s third fraud, committed against Bunnings Warehouse Indooroopilly, was even more brazen – he simply walked behind the counter about 8.30pm, took a Makita tool kit, and walked out.

He was fired from Dy-Mark the following day, December 20.

None of the goods, which were worth $4156 in total, were recovered, and it was acknowledged to the court by defence lawyer Andrew McGinness the frauds were committed for the purpose of supporting his client’s drug addiction.

Koplick pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court to three counts of fraud by way of dishonestly obtaining property from another.

Koplick was placed on a nine-month probation order and ordered to pay $4156 restitution to Bunnings Group.

No convictions were recorded.

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ARRON BOURKE

Pocketed $7000 in cash and stock to give freebies away to his mates and help pay down debt.

Shailer Park man Arron John Bourke, was the store manager of Gatton Tyres & More, in the Lockyer Valley, when he committed four counts of stealing by a clerk/servant and one count each of forgery and uttering a forged document, which he pleaded guilty to in Beenleigh Magistrates Court.

The offences occurred between November 1 and December 25, 2019.

The court heard three of the thefts related to cash stolen from the business, while the fourth related to pilfered tyres, which he then handed off to his mates.

Shailer Park man Arron John Bourke. Picture: Facebook
Shailer Park man Arron John Bourke. Picture: Facebook

Police prosecutor Sgt Kellie Cullen told the court that despite being asked to return the tyres, Bourke had not done so, nor had he repaid a cent of the $7221.11 he owed the business.

Bourke tried to cover up his egregious thefts by writing false stock reports, which aggravated the offending.

Defence lawyer Alannah Patron told the court her client’s offending was precipitated by the breakdown of his marriage of four years.

Magistrate Michael O’Driscoll sentenced Bourke to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for a period of two years.

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NICOLE SEYMOUR

Petty thief who swiped $120 worth of cash, cigarettes and stock while on-shift.

Cornubia woman Nicole Victoria Seymour, who worked at Caltex Starmart Kingston at the time, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court to four offences, three counts of stealing by clerks and servants and one of fraud – dishonestly obtaining property as an employee.

The court heard the offences occurred between August 22 – September 12, 2019.

On August 22, 2019 about 4.20pm, Seymour took a packet of cigarettes out of the tobacco cupboard while serving a customer and hid them under a clipboard without paying.

She then wrapped the packet in a hi-vis vest and plastic bag, then dropped the packet into her bag in the break room as she put on the hi-vis vest.

Cornubia woman Nicole Victoria Seymour. Picture: Alex Treacy
Cornubia woman Nicole Victoria Seymour. Picture: Alex Treacy

On September 3 about 6.20am, she placed a packet of cigarettes up the sleeve of her cardigan while she was serving a customer before placing them in her handbag without paying.

On September 6 about 9.40am, she sold a $30 charger to a customer while keeping the receipt, which she then used to perform a fraudulent refund, pocketing the cash.

On September 12 about 8.50am, Seymour wrapped the same model of charger as used for a fraudulent refund in a hi-vis vest, placed it in her handbag and left without paying for the item.

On September 24, 2019, the matter was reported to police and CCTV footage depicting all four offences was handed over.

Seymour was sentenced to three months’ jail suspended for a period of 12 months.

She was also ordered to pay $120 compensation.

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RENEE THORPE

Ubet employee fraudulently transfers tens of thousands of betting credits to her own gambling account.

Renee Maree Thorpe, of Arana Hills, pleaded guilty to eight offences in Caboolture Magistrates Court including dishonestly applying $15,000 in betting credits to her own betting account.

The theft happened while Thorpe was an employee at Ubet Kenmore on November 15, 2018.

She also pleaded guilty to dishonestly applying $710 on November 14, 2018 and two counts of stealing as a clerk or servant — an amount of $300 on one occasion and $500 on another occasion.

Arana Hills woman Renee Maree Thorpe leaves Caboolture Magistrates Court. Picture: Kara Sonter
Arana Hills woman Renee Maree Thorpe leaves Caboolture Magistrates Court. Picture: Kara Sonter

The court heard Thorpe, who had been diagnosed with an addictive personality as well as other conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder, had made good on the money owed for most of the charges and had saved $10,000 to pay in restitution.

She pleaded guilty to all charges and was given a head sentence of 12 months jail, immediately suspended for three years.

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TRACY BURKE

Defrauded employer of $1,183.53 as revenge for a longstanding row with management.

Mount Cotton woman Tracy Leanne Burke pleaded guilty in Cleveland Magistrates Court to stealing by clerks and servants relating to when she was the duty manager at Officeworks Underwood.

The court was told Burke processed fake refunds, at times from other employees’ registers, in progressively larger amounts from $40.95 up to $600, between January 3 – 25 this year.

The court heard Burke, who claimed to have used the stolen money to send supplies to needy students in Papua New Guinea, placed other employees in “precarious situations” and was dobbed in by her manager who noticed accounting measures “not seen in 10 years”.

Mount Cotton woman Tracy Leanne Burke. Picture: Marcel Baum
Mount Cotton woman Tracy Leanne Burke. Picture: Marcel Baum

Defence solicitor Aaron Wilson said “revenge was not the correct characterisation”, rather his client “was wallowing” in a discontented position after a longstanding row with management.

While acknowledging the sophisticated nature of her theft Mr Wilson said Burke’s behaviour was also “brazen” and “self-sabotaging”.

Burke was ordered to complete 150 hours of community service and ordered to pay $1,183.53 in restitution.

No conviction was recorded.

NEIL TOGIAPOE

Logistics supervisor pocketed iPhones to the tune of $7775.

Camira man Neil Tukiafe Efalaimo Togiapoe pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court to receiving tainted property between January 7 – February 22, 2018.

The court heard minimal detail of the prosecution case as to exactly how Togiapoe received the mobile phones but it was revealed there were two co-accused.

Camira man Neil Tukiafe Efalaimo Togiapoe. Picture: Ross Irby
Camira man Neil Tukiafe Efalaimo Togiapoe. Picture: Ross Irby

Crown prosecutor Victoria Adams said Togiapoe received five iPhones with a wholesale value of around $1555 each – with a total value of $7775.

Ms Adams said the thefts took place at his workplace, DB Schenker Pty, where Togiapoe was employed as logistics supervisor.

The phones had been in boxes in a storage area.

Togiapoe was convicted and fined $1500.

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JESSE WILLMOT

Helped defraud his employer of $78,000 in return for a $9000 cut to feed his cannabis addiction.

Ipswich man Jesse Edward Alfred Willmot pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court to stealing by clerks or servants and fraud relating to his employment at Recycling Metal Industries Pty Ltd over five months in 2018.

The court was told that Willmot had only been working for the business for about three weeks when a regular customer, Mousa Tawil, approached him and allegedly encouraged Willmot to help him defraud the company.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – NewsWire Photos November 9, 2020: Jesse Willmot was sentenced in the Brisbane District Court for fraud. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – NewsWire Photos November 9, 2020: Jesse Willmot was sentenced in the Brisbane District Court for fraud. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Prosecutor Ben Jackson said Willmot did this by inflating the weight of the scrap metal that Tawil was selling in return for a cut in the profits.

CCTV footage showed the pair weighing drums twice, adding scrap metal already on site into the drums and Tawil allegedly reselling the same drums to the company.

Defence barrister Kate Juhasz said Willmot’s cut in the scheme was only $9000 and he was vulnerable to Tawil’s proposition because he had a marijuana addiction spawned from traumatic events in his childhood.

“He really had no idea of the full quantum that was taken,” Ms Juhasz said.

Willmot was sentenced to three years’ jail, but was released on immediate parole.

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ADRIANA MCLEAN

Stole cartons of cigarettes and pet food and claimed her boss allowed it.

Roma teen Adriana Frances Mclean pleaded guilty in Roma Magistrates Court to stealing by clerks and servants.

The court heard Mclean was a former employee of the Northern Star Store in Roma from May to August 2019 before her position as a sales clerk was terminated.

Police prosecutor sergeant Heather Whiting told the court, an informant from the company told police that they had heard the defendant was stealing stock.

Roma teen Adriana Frances Mclean. Picture: Facebook
Roma teen Adriana Frances Mclean. Picture: Facebook

After reviewing CCTV footage, it revealed that during the period of July 22 and August 13, Mclean had stolen two cartons of cigarettes and cans of pet food.

Mclean’s lawyer told the court that she had worked at the Northern Star Store for three months and that the boss had allowed the workers to take home a couple of packets of smokes when there was extra stock.

She was fined $500 and ordered to pay restitution of $535.12 to the store.

No conviction was recorded.

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HUSSEIN AHMED

Plundered $35,000 from his employer while the business was on the brink of collapse.

South Brisbane man Hussein Ahmed, an estimator for collapsed Beenleigh developer Watermark Group, diverted more than $35,000 of payments to his own account four months before the company’s collapse in June 2016.

Bizarrely, a month after resigning when his employer confronted him about the missing money, Ahmed threatened them via his lawyers with a defamation suit due to his losing a subsequent job due to the allegation of wrongdoing.

South Brisbane construction manager Hussein Ahmed. Picture: Facebook
South Brisbane construction manager Hussein Ahmed. Picture: Facebook

Ahmed used his company login to access a program called Databuild, where he substituted his bank details on two subcontractor payments, $30,000 from Brisbane concreter Slab Solutions and $5130.90 from a tiling contractor.

The two transactions occurred sometime between February 5 – 17, 2016.

After the missing money was discovered, Ahmed called in sick the following two days, February 18 – 19.

He resigned on February 22, the day Slab Solutions confirmed they had not received their money.

Defence counsel Scott Lynch told Beenleigh District Court his client was ready to repay the full amount.

“He has had a lapse of judgment of which he is contrite,” Mr Lynch said.

Crown prosecutor Zachary Kaplan noted the collapse of Watermark Group would have occurred with or without Ahmed’s fraud.

Ahmed pleaded guilty to fraud and was sentenced to a two-and-a-half year term of imprisonment, wholly suspended.

A conviction was recorded.

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DEBORAH SCHULTZ

Stole more than $33,000 because her colleagues were rude and unappreciative.

Deborah Toni Schultz pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court to one count of stealing as a clerk/servant and was required to serve four months behind bars over the theft from her former employer Adcrete Industries, a manufacturing business in Clontarf.

Crown Prosecutor Geoffrey Wong today told the Brisbane District Court that Schultz stole $33,122 from the business when she was the office manager between January 2015 and May 2016.

He said Schultz engaged in 73 instances of stealing funds over a period of 15 months including 40 occasions on which she made unauthorised purchases through the company credit account and business account with Officeworks.

“There were 15 occasions where she reported more hours than she in fact worked and thus took in that regard a total of over $20,000 in funds belonging to the company,” Mr Wong said.

“There were also eight occasions when she simply transferred money from the company bank account into accounts belonging to herself and others.

“There was also 10 occasions when she paid an amount of superannuation to herself that was greater than what she was entitled to.”

Judge Vicki Loury QC described Schultz’s excuse for the offending as “just extraordinary”.

“The explanation for your offending as set out in the psychiatric report is that it seems that you believed that too much demand and responsibility was placed upon you by your employer and that other employees were rude to you and unappreciative of you,” she said.

“That provides no explanation at all for why a woman with an otherwise impeccable record would steal more than $30,000 from her employer.”

Schultz was sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment with parole after serving four months behind bars.

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AARON COWELL

Took $5411.34 to feed alcoholism and drug addiction.

Birkdale teen Aaron Jake Cowell pleaded guilty in Cleveland Magistrates Court to one count of fraud – dishonest application of property of another by employee.

The court heard Cowell took $5411.34 from Kmart Capalaba between January 18 – August 10 last year in a “naive” scheme that included refunding purchases directly onto his personal credit card.

The court was told an informer noticed a series of suspicious transactions on August 20 which included the input of a co-accused previously dealt with for the theft by the court.

Birkdale teen Aaron Jake Cowell. Picture: Facebook
Birkdale teen Aaron Jake Cowell. Picture: Facebook

A police prosecutor said the defendant, who had worked at Kmart for four years, admitted to taking the funds over the six-month period to fund a drug and alcohol addiction and had shown remorse for his offending.

Defence solicitor Tania Lacy said Cowell lived with his parents and had been going through a challenging time while consuming Xanax, cannabis, wine and vodka.

Cowell was sentenced to 18 months’ probation and ordered to complete 60 hours of community service.

A conviction was not recorded.

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Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/18-southeast-qld-workers-caught-stealing-from-their-employer-listed/news-story/83a494143f32f1f3ebb8573df66bf01d