Worker stole £40k of Apple goods from phone shop

Debt-ridden Safir Hussain used his authority at the 02 shop in Baker Street, Lichfield, to list over 70 iPhones and iPad tablets as transferred within the company.

But instead of sending them to other stores, he put them up for sale on the internet, Stafford Crown Court heard.

Security cameras filmed him leaving the store with a 'swag bag', said Mr Andrew Wallace, prosecuting.

Hussain, aged 27, of Baldwins Lane, Birmingham, who admitted a charge of theft, was jailed for 20 months.

Judge Mark Eades told him: "On any basis this was a determined and sustained series of thefts.

"You targeted your employers' property, stole the items then advertised them on the internet for sale.

"You did it because you had pressing debts and you decided to resort to dishonesty to avoid the repercussions of those debts.

"Stealing from employers on this scale demands the court impose and immediate sentence of imprisonment."

Mr Wallace said a total of 77 Apple products were stolen by the defendant over a period of just under three months between July and October last year.

The retail value of the items came to £39,548.

Hussain was one of several managers at the store who had authority to transfer stock to other 02 outlets and initially suspicion had fallen on all of them when it was discovered that a significant number of items had gone missing.

But it quickly became clear that Hussain's PIN had been used in the transactions, with about half of them recorded on CCTV.

The footage also showed him 'leaving the store with a swag bag'.

A couple of stolen items were found at his home in Birmingham.

A sample trace on three stolen phones showed they had all been activated in the Birmingham area.

When questioned by the police after his arrest on October 14 last year, Hussain answered no comment.

Mr Mohammad Hafeez, defending, said the background to his client's offending was financial difficulties.

"Difficulties with accommodation resulted in him having to move home," he said.

"He had to borrow money and the person he borrowed from was knocking on his door."

Hussain, who is married and recently became a father, regretted his behaviour, said Mr Hafeez.