THE manager of Jewson Ltd in Bourne stole a bathroom suite worth nearly £6,000 over the course of a year and had it installed in his Spalding home.
Nicholas Franklin (39), of Bourne Road, ordered the suite from various suppliers using Jewson as the purchaser and then wrote off the items from the store’s computer system, Spalding magistrates heard.
Franklin appeared before the court on Thursday and was sent to Lincoln Crown Court for sentence.
He admitted stealing the suite worth £5,895 between February 2011 and February this year.
Rebecca Ritson, prosecuting, said the theft came to light when a security consultant went to Franklin’s home to check on other unrelated items and saw the bathroom fittings installed.
Miss Ritson said Franklin was interviewed and “fully admitted taking the bathroom suite with no intention of returning it”.
She told the court Franklin had worked for Jewson for 15 years and held the position of branch manager for six years. He was suspended when the theft came to light.
When interviewed, Franklin said the purchase of the items from suppliers had earned Jewson “credits”.
Miss Ritson said: “He said by being dishonest, he had also made the branch and Jewson’s money.”
He also said he didn’t do it to make Jewson out of pocket.
Miss Ritson asked for the case to be sent to the crown court for sentence because there was an abuse of trust, the offence was committed over a year and there was “a degree of organisation and sophistication” about the way paperwork was manipulated.
The high value of the suite also made it suitable for the crown court.
Solicitor Bill Millar, for Franklin, said he would not address the court on the facts if magistrates were minded to send the case to the higher court.