£37k sofa fraudsters were sitting pretty
Warehouse workers who stole £37,000 of furniture from their bosses in a scam that saw £600 three-piece suites change hands for just £70 have been spared time behind bars.
The scheme, which involved five workers from Wednesbury-based Walmsley's, started with a single footstool but escalated to include luxury sofas and mattresses.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard yesterday how the men got involved to make a quick buck and furnish their own homes in Wednesfield, Wednesbury and West Bromwich.
Walmsley's, which has a warehouse on Wednesbury Trading Estate, lost £37,000 of stock from July 2007 to January this year.
The scam was uncovered after a new computer system unearthed scores of anomalies and missing stock.
Miss Amanpreet Bhachu, prosecuting, said the ring leader was warehouse supervisor Keith Watts, from Charlotte Road, Wednesbury. As well as furnishing his own home, the 27-year-old offered his co-workers goods at rock-bottom prices, such as £300 sofas for £70 plus a free mattress.
Miss Bhachu said the furniture was then delivered by lorry driver Kenneth Silwood, 61, of Woden Road East, Wednesbury. The warehouse staff who benefited from the crime were Paul Buck, 26, of Thorncroft Way, West Bromwich, who had goods worth £900; Michael Quinn, 20, from Kilvert Road, Wednesbury, who had £516 of stock, and James Cooper, 23, of Ecclestone Road, Wednesfield, who bought a £605 suite and £105 mattress for £70. All three warehouse workers, who had previously pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods, were sentenced to 50 hours unpaid work and £100 costs.
Watts was sentenced to 36 weeks in prison suspended for two years, 100 hours unpaid work and £600 costs. Silwood got 100 hours unpaid work, six months supervision and £200 costs. Both Watts and Silwood had previously admitted theft.
Recorder David Williams QC said: "You have all thrown away your good character by stealing from your employer." All five men have lost their jobs.
