An employee at the Oldbury Co-op, David Naughton, has admitted to stealing £72,384 over a 15-month period through a sophisticated cash scam involving voided transactions. The thefts began in February 2024 and continued until April 2025.
During hearings at Dudley Magistrates' Court, it was revealed that Naughton exploited the till system by keeping the receipt from cash-paying customers, then canceling the transactions on the till. This created the illusion that the till was balanced, while Naughton pocketed the cash.
The deceit was so well executed that it only appeared as a stock loss in records. Typically, an average employee would record about two void transactions weekly, but Naughton averaged 81 per week, raising suspicion.
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Naughton, aged 34 and from Hollies Road, Tividale, was questioned internally twice during the investigation and confessed to the theft. He attributed his actions to a gambling addiction. However, when interviewed by the police, he declined to comment.
On July 9, during the court proceedings, Naughton formally admitted to theft by an employee. Magistrates have postponed sentencing until September 14, allowing time for a pre-sentence report.
In the meantime, Naughton was granted unconditional bail.