Listed: 20 Qld people caught stealing from their employer
These 20 employees were caught out in a shameful act of dishonesty, stealing from their workplaces. See the sneaky behaviour that led them to face courts across the state.
Ipswich
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Gambling addiction, the housing crisis, and revenge are just some of the reasons the people on this list succumbed to temptation and betrayed their employers.
From small amounts pocketed on the side to years-long fraud schemes, their acts of greed have now been exposed in courts across the state.
See 20 Queensland employees who were caught with their fingers in the till:
CONVICTIONS RECORDED
JOSHUA ALTY – BUNDABERG
Joshua Alty faced Bundaberg Magistrates’ Court last August after he stole over $10,000 worth of tobacco from his employer.
The 29-year-old had stolen the tobacco during a month-long time period while working for a refrigerated trucking company.
Acting Magistrate Peter Cooke told Alty there was a need to deter others from committing such “unacceptable” offences.
“It’s breach of trust when a person is employed and they’re getting paid and they’ve got a job, then to take advantage of the position they’re in and take from their employer,” Mr Cooke said.
Alty pleaded guilty to one count of stealing by clerks and servants and was sentenced to 12 months’ prison, suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to pay $10,573.93 in restitution to Brisbane Refrigerated Trucking.
SANDRA BALFOUR – BRISBANE
Brisbane accountant Sandra Balfour faced court after stealing $1.8 million from her employer.
Balfour had siphoned the money over seven-and-half years while working for car dealership giant AP Eagers.
The Brisbane District Court heard she had used the money to fund a gambling addiction.
Balfour had worked for AP Eagers since 1993, but was made redundant in 2017 – and arrested in 2018.
She had previously been convicted in 1993 of 12 counts of fraudulent and false accounting, after taking $33,000 from her previous employer.
In May last year, she pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and was sentenced to eight years behind bars.
She will be eligible for parole on April 26, 2024.
ADAM BONNEY – TOWNSVILLE
Adam Troy Bonney was given a suspended jail term last June after stealing almost $17,000 from his employer.
Bonney told the Townsville Magistrates’ Court he had used the swindled funds to pay for his parents’ medical bills.
He had stolen $16,835 over a period of 14 months by generating false invoices, the court heard.
Bonney pleaded guilty to 26 counts of stealing by clerks and servants.
He was sentenced to 12 months jail, wholly suspended for 18 months.
BRAYDEN COOPER – HERVEY BAY
Brayden Alex Cooper was working as a security guard at a marine services business when he stole a number of items he was employed to protect.
The Hervey Bay Magistrates’ Court heard Cooper had taken items including various tool sets from an area that could only be accessed with a pass.
The court heard Cooper had told police he had taken the tools to “do some woodwork”.
Cooper pleaded guilty to one count of stealing as a servant.
He was fined $2000 and a conviction was recorded.
KARMA DONALD – HERVEY BAY
Kindergarten committee president Karma Melissa Donald fronted court earlier this year after using $50,000 provided by the organisation for her own purposes.
The Hervey Bay District Court heard Donald had been the president of the committee of Carramar Community Kindergarten and preschool, which had been raising money to expand the kindergarten to another location.
But when the sale of the new location fell through, Donald didn’t return any funds.
She withdrew quantities for herself instead, which the court heard left the kindergarten in dire financial straits.
Donald pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, wholly suspended for four years.
She was also ordered to pay $25,000 in compensation.
MATTHEW EASTEN – BRISBANE
A Brisbane cafe manager fronted court last October after stealing $28,500 from his employers at a well-known garden centre.
Matthew Richard Easten had taken the money from the cash register at Eden Gardens Cafe in Carseldine over a 14-month period.
The Brisbane District Court heard Easten had used the money to repay debts following a relationship break-up.
He had disguised the theft by entering the transactions as refunds of quantities between $10 and $300, the court heard.
Easten pleaded guilty to one charge of stealing as a servant, and was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for three years.
He was also ordered to pay restitution in full.
JUSTIN FANKHAUSER – BUNDABERG
A Bundaberg man’s elaborate system to fund his cocaine habit was uncovered when his employer’s stock audit found an estimated $62,283.48 unaccounted for.
Justin Clive Fankhauser had been employed as a sales, service and parts manager for Formatt Machinery throughout the offending period between November 2018 and June 2022.
The Bundaberg Magistrates’ Court heard he had purchased automotive parts for his own business on his employer’s account and falsified inventory records to cover his tracks.
Fankhauser pleaded guilty to one count of fraudulently falsifying or destroying records and one count of stealing by clerks or servants.
He was sentenced to six months’ jail, wholly suspended for 18 months.
He was also ordered to pay $25,000 restitution to his former employer within seven days.
MICHAEL GARDINER – BRISBANE
Michael Patrick Gardiner was working as an armoured vehicle officer when he stole more than $100,000 from the ATMs he was meant to protect.
The Prosegur employee stole between $124,000 and $141,000 while on the job during a three-and-a-half year time period.
The Brisbane District Court heard Gardiner had had a grievance with his employer over a workplace injury.
His barrister Jack Kennedy said Gardiner “simply couldn’t resist the urge to take the money” due to a “misplaced sense of revenge”.
Gardiner pleaded guilty to stealing by clerks and servants (value more than $5000).
He was sentenced to four years jail, suspended after serving 12 months in actual custody.
FULL STORY
LACEY HOPGOOD – ROCKHAMPTON
Lacey Jade Hopgood stole from Coffee House Apartment Motel in Rockhampton while working there as a trainee manager.
The Rockhampton Magistrates’ Court heard she had stolen $810 cash from the business over a five month period.
Hopgood had told her manager she had banked the money for the business, but her story quickly came undone when the manager checked with the bank.
Hopgood pleaded guilty to nine charges including stealing as a servant and was sentenced to eight months’ jail, wholly suspended for an operational period of 18 months.
She was also fined $1000 and ordered to pay $865.95 restitution.
ALLAN HUMPHRIES – IPSWICH
Coorparoo RSL staffer Allan James Humphries pocketed $8400 from the business to fund his gambling addiction.
The Ipswich Magistrates’ Court heard this had been the second time Humphries had stolen from an employer.
He had previously been convicted of stealing in 2012, after taking $320 from his workplace at the time, Centenary Tavern.
Humphries told the court his addiction had cost him “everything” including his job, his friends, and his marriage.
He pleaded guilty to stealing by clerks and servants, and was sentenced to four months imprisonment, wholly suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to pay full restitution of $8400 to the Coorparoo RSL.
LOUISE KENNEDY – GOLD COAST
Louise Carol Kennedy stole more than $7200 from the Gold Coast vehicle accessory store where she worked.
The Southport Magistrates’ Court heard Kennedy had been employed as an accounts manager for the MSA 4x4 Accessories in Arundel.
She had made five fraudulent transactions in three weeks, which ultimately saw he fired once the owner cottoned on.
Kennedy pleaded guilty to defrauding her employer and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.
She was also ordered to repay full restitution of $7287.06.
JESSICA MCMASTER – MARYBOROUGH
Jessica Tahlay Brooke McMaster was ordered to pay back nearly $5000 after stealing from the Donut King where she worked.
She had stolen from the businesses on five separate occasions by accessing the tills during her closing shifts.
The Maryborough Magistrates’ Court heard McMaster told police she had stolen the money to pay for rent, food and clothing.
She pleaded guilty to stealing by a clerk or servant and was sentenced to 15 months probation and community service.
She was ordered to pay $4785.66 in compensation, and a conviction was recorded.
JENNIFER MURCHIE – KINGAROY
Jennifer Ann Murchie stole over $24,000 from her children’s touch football club.
The Kingaroy Magistrates’ Court heard Murchie had been treasurer for the club – the Kingaroy Touch Football Association.
She had taken cash payments made by players for her own use and also cashed multiple cheques for the club account.
Murchie pleaded guilty to seven counts of stealing by clerks or servants and was sentenced to 18 months’ jail.
No order for restitution was made, with the court hearing Murchie had “little prospect” of paying the money back.
CHRISTINE POPLE – TOWNSVILLE
Christine Marie Pople fronted court in “dire” financial straits after spending thousands of dollars of money stolen from her employer on luxury items.
The Townsville District Court heard Pople fraudulently obtained more than $41,000 over a number of years while employed as the bookkeeper and office manager at an engineering company.
She had inflated her wages, made unauthorised transactions from the company account, and abused her company credit card.
She spent the money at luxury retailers, hairdressers, airlines and on an international hotel, the court heard.
Pople pleaded guilty to aggravated fraud as an employee and was sentenced to three years jail, wholly suspended.
BAILEY WALSH – LOGAN
Model and aspiring Navy sailor Bailey Walsh fronted Beenleigh Magistrates’ Court last September after stealing a $6000 bike from his employer.
Walsh begged the court not to record a conviction so he could pursue his Navy aspirations.
But Magistrate Ronald Kilner said it was important to record a conviction regardless.
“Employers are entitled to know before they employ somebody that the potential employee has this sort of criminal behaviour behind them,” he said.
Walsh pleaded guilty to stealing by a clerk or servant and was sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid community service.
He was ordered to pay $4000 in restitution, and a conviction was recorded.
NO CONVICTIONS RECORDED
KAYLA ASHCROFT – IPSWICH
Former Ipswich school captain and business student Kayla Joy Ashcroft stole more than $7400 from her employer Oxley Nursery.
The Brisbane Magistrates’ Court heard Ashcroft had worked as a company administrator.
She was responsible for paying staff wages and banking the company’s weekly earnings.
The court heard Ashcroft had pocketed a portion of the businesses weekly cash takings and used the payroll management system to overpay herself.
She pleaded guilty to stealing from her employer and was sentenced to two and a half years probation.
She was also ordered to pay $7420.90 restitution to Oxley Nursery.
DEBRA MITCHELL – BILOELA
Debra Jean Mitchell fronted Biloela Magistrates’ Court at age 61 for stealing more than $5000 from her employer.
She had been working as a clerk at Kewpie Stockfeeds, Monto, when she stole a total of $5033.63.
Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale said she accepted Mitchell was genuinely remorseful.
“You’ve been a mum and a worker and someone that always contributes in the community,” she said.
“And unfortunately things have all come together at a point in your life where you’ve had access to money in this way, coupled with the stresses that you were feeling and this addiction as it has been described.”
Mitchell pleaded guilty to 12 counts of stealing as a clerk or servant, and was sentenced to 12 months probation.
She was also ordered to repay $5033.63 in restitution.
GAIL MOLE – BUNDABERG
A charity shop worker told police she had the authority to give away items for free after she was caught stashing customers’ money for herself.
Gail Mary Catherine Mole fronted Bundaberg Magistrates’ Court at age 58, pleading guilty to six counts of stealing by clerks and servants.
The court heard she had been working at the Second 2 None op shop, run by the Angels Community Group, when she started putting customers’ money on the side of the till and taking it home in her bag.
She had also allowed people known to her to leave without paying, the court heard.
Mole was fined $700, and ordered to pay $55 compensation to the Angels Community Group.
She was also ordered to be of good behaviour for 18 months, with a $200 recognisance.
LAURA RAPANA – GOLD COAST
Laura Darlene Rapana stole $6327.45 from an IVF clinic where she worked.
Rapana told the Southport Magistrates’ Court she had been driven to desperate measures by the city’s rental crisis.
She had processed eight fake refunds at Monash IVF and transferred the money into her own account.
But her employer noticed the suspicious transactions and confronted her.
Rapana pleaded guilty to one count of stealing by clerks and servants.
She was sentenced to six months probation and ordered to pay full restitution.
STACEY TOLHURST – YEPPOON
Stacey Lea Tolhurt stole over $1000 worth of sports gear from the Yeppoon store where she worked
Her offending was uncovered when she turned up to work wearing the stolen goods, the Yeppoon Magistrates’ Court heard.
Tolhurt had been employed as a sales assistant at Intersport Yeppoon when she placed a number of items on lay-by and took them without paying the full price.
The court heard the stolen items included a water bottle, waterproof bag, two sets of tights, a number of pairs of shoes, a football protection undershirt, frisbees and a number of other childrens’ items, a soccer ball and a snorkel.
Tolhurt’s lawyer explained his client had taken the childrens’ items in the lead up to Christmas so her two children wouldn’t miss out.
Tolhurt pleaded guilty to stealing by clerks and servants and was sentenced to six months’ probation.
She was also ordered to repay restitution of $1178.
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