Manager stole more than £2,500

ELY shop manager David Mannion, altered store records to pocket more than £2,500 to repair his car and buy Christmas presents. Mannion, 27, stole the money from WH Smith over a four-month period, changing records to hide the theft. But he was caught when

ELY shop manager David Mannion, altered store records to pocket more than £2,500 to repair his car and buy Christmas presents.

Mannion, 27, stole the money from WH Smith over a four-month period, changing records to hide the theft.

But he was caught when a loss prevention specialist was sent to the Market Place store to discuss an £840 discrepancy with the ATM machine.

Mannion, of Margaret Drive, Boston, Lincolnshire, admitted to the officer that he had taken £480 to repair his car, Ely Magistrates' Court heard on Tuesday.

The officer carried out an investigation and discovered that, by altering records of cash kept in the safe, Mannion had stolen £2,678 between September and January last year.

Mannion, who had admitted at an earlier court hearing to stealing the money, told police that, as the amount of money grew, he couldn't see a way out and knew matters were getting out of hand.

Prosecuting, Katie Tindall told magistrates: "He said he intended to pay the money back but did not know how."

Mitigating, Graham Russell said "He certainly doesn't live a lifestyle of excess. He has student debts and suffered strain travelling 110 miles a day to work with the costs of travelling, fuel and repairs to his car."

Mannion was given a 180-hour community service order, ordered to pay £80 costs and given a compensation order to pay back the amount stolen.