Manager stole £30k from arcades

THE manager of two amusement arcades stole more than £30,000 from gaming machines and safes.

Marc Clarke, 26, of Hull, was trusted to manage Smiles For Miles arcade in Withernsea and a second arcade in Carlisle.

But he stole money from both premises over a two-year period, Hull Crown Court heard.

While working as a manager at Victoria Amusements in Carlisle, Clarke stole £16,409.26.

He had worked at the arcade for 18 months after leaving Hull.

Clarke was caught in February last year after a surprise audit revealed cash from the safe was missing and also the float from the roulette table.

He was charged with theft in Carlisle, but failed to attend court and, instead, came back to Hull, where he started a new job as a supervisor at Smiles For Miles in Withernsea.

Clarke failed to tell his new employers about the previous theft or court appearances and began stealing money from there as well.

Over a 12-month period, he stole £15,148.62.

His regional supervisor changed the lock to the safe after noticing his behaviour was becoming erratic.

Prosecutor Mark Kendall said: "In Carlisle, Clarke was the only person in the shop with the keys to the safe.

"When his manager carried out an audit, it revealed substantial inaccuracies.

"He was spoken to and accepted he began by borrowing money, initially £900 from the safe for a property he wished to occupy. He said he continued borrowing money and it spiraled out of control.

"He then came to East Yorkshrie and obtained employment at an arcade.

"He had worked for his employer in the past and was trusted by them.

"As the person responsible for the arcade, he was the sole key-holder for the safe.

"Last September, his work pattern became erratic and suspicion arose.

"In March, the safe was locked by the regional manager so Clarke could not gain further access to it until an audit was carried out.

"There was a shortfall in the safe of more than £15,000.

"When he was challenged by the manager, he said 'I didn't realise I had taken that much'.

"We submit it was a theft in a high degree of trust."

Clarke pleaded guilty to two counts of theft.

His barrister, Stephen Robinson, said: "There was a high degree of trust placed in him because he was a manager, but he was not a professional person like an accountant or a solicitor.

"He said no one else was involved.

"He has suffered a great deal of sadness with the deaths of his mother and brother.

"There was no extravagance – he simply carried on life as if he had few outgoings.

"He fell behind in his rent and needed a deposit for his rent.

"Last September, he and his sister had concerns about their brother in Hull and went to visit him and they could tell something was amiss.

"They asked the police to attend and found he had tried to hang himself. It had a profound affect on him.

"He is ashamed of both offences, especially the second because he was known and trusted and they had offered him sympathy."

Jailing Clarke for 15 months, Judge Mark Bury told him: "These are thefts in breach of trust because you were stealing from your employer."