A Footasylum supervisor in Glasgow orchestrated a £30k theft that led to store closure and job losses.
McDonald and other staff helped by pretending to scan goods. The goods were high-priced items. Collaborators handed them items at the till, and they scanned low-value items instead, such as shoe cleaning wipes.
The store lost a lot of money, and the company closed that branch. Fifteen employees lost their jobs, but McDonald got a £3,000 redundancy payment before an investigation revealed his actions.
McDonald admitted to stealing £29,000 and pleaded guilty in court. The sheriff called it breathtaking dishonesty, saying McDonald led the criminal scheme and violated the company’s trust.
An investigator noticed irregularities and reviewed the store’s CCTV footage. He looked at McDonald’s transactions closely, and the receipts looked suspicious because they did not match the items sold.
McDonald often scanned low-value goods, such as shoe wipes or socks. The CCTV showed high-value items given to customers, but the till didn’t reflect those items. Collaborators arranged store visits.
They gave staff high-value goods, and the staff removed the tags. They scanned a low-value item instead, and the customer paid a small amount that looked like they paid correctly. McDonald did this 30 times, causing £29,000 in losses.
The company decided to close the shop, deeming it unprofitable. Fifteen of 22 staff lost their jobs, while McDonald got £3,000 in redundancy pay and other staff moved to different stores.
Lewis Holmes stole £2,500 worth of goods, and Josh Richardson stole £3,000 worth of items. John Mack took £2,500 of merchandise too. Police traced McDonald and he confessed.
He claimed a cocaine addiction and needing cash to pay for his habit. He said the scheme grew out of control. He said he did not know everyone involved. Richardson, Holmes, and Mack also admitted theft.
McDonald’s lawyer said he took responsibility and did not blame anyone else. Holmes was in Thailand and missed court, while Richardson attended a funeral. McDonald remained in custody, and Mack will appear at sentencing next month.