By Staff Reporter

Last updated at 12:46, Thursday, 15 January 2009

An HMV employee sold customers blank gift cards and treated himself to a PlayStation3, in a theft involving more than £300 from the chain store.

HMV fraud investigators rumbled Daniel Beresford, 20, after his work ID was traced to a number of blank gift cards.

Beresford, of Fisher Street, Carlisle, worked in the Carlisle branch of HMV during November and pleaded guilty to theft at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court.

Prosecuting, Fergal Allen told magistrates how Beresford had taken payment from customers for gift cards before presenting them with a blank card.

The discrepancies only came to light when customers presented their worthless gift cards for payment.

Fraud investigators also discovered that on one occasion, on November 15, 20 gift cards activated by Beresford had been used by his brother as payment for a PlayStation 3, two PS3 games and a further game at HMV in Manchester.

At the same time, £98 worth of goods were returned to the store, making the total value of goods bought with the cards £320.

Beresford was released early from his contract by HMV, Carlisle, and was arrested by police on December 28.

When questioned by police, he stated that on a few occasions he had found activated cards behind the till point, and, having found them to be of value, had decided to keep them.

He also apologised for what he had done but would not clarify to police how the cards had come into his possession.

In court Mr Allen described Beresford’s crimes as having been “calculated and premeditated on numerous occasions”.

Magistrates ordered Beresford to do 150 hours of unpaid work and pay compensation of £320 to HMV.

First published at 11:29, Thursday, 15 January 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk