Adamo Cantotook items including medals and signed photographs of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge while claiming to be cleaning to prevent Covid-19. Photo / Getty Images
Adamo Cantotook items including medals and signed photographs of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge while claiming to be cleaning to prevent Covid-19. Photo / Getty Images
A servant to the Queen has admitted stealing items worth £100,000 (NZ$190,000) from Buckingham Palace and selling them on eBay.
Adamo Canto, 37, took items including medals and signed photographs of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge while claiming to be cleaning to prevent Covid-19.
Canto also admitted stealing a photo album of the Royal State Banquet during US President Donald Trump's state visit, which he sold for £1,500 (NZ$28,000) on eBay.
The Items were stolen from the Royal Household and the Royal Shop at Buckingham Palace between November 11 last year and August 7.
A former catering assistant Canto, had worked at the Palace for five years, and had been given additional cleaning because of the pandemic which gave him access to locker rooms.
The catering assistant took items including medals and signed photographs from the Palace. Photo / Getty Images
Not all of the stolen items have been recovered, Westminster Magistrates Court was told.
Simon Maughan, prosecuting, said: "It appears that Mr Canto, who at the time was living at the Royal Mews in Buckingham Palace, had various items that had been taken from within Buckingham Palace.
"One of the complainants had located the medal on eBay having been sold on May 27. It was an account called AdamoSalvatori123 which was tracked to Mr Canto.
"Forensic data was provided by eBay. His sale history shows 37 items that had been sold from Buckingham Palace.
"Police attended the Royal Mews and arrested him. A search was carried out, and some items were recovered.
"His parents' address in Scarborough was also searched and it appears he sold the 37 eBay items for £7,741.23 (NZ$14,700)
Sir Anthony Johnstone-Burt, Queen's Master of the Household, head of "below stairs operations", had his Companion of the Order of the Bath stolen while Retired British Army officer Major General Matthew Sykes, who served in the Royal Household from 2007 to 2010, lost his Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.
District Judge Alexander Jacobs told Canto: "Obviously you've done the right thing by pleading guilty at the first opportunity.
"I commit to the Crown Court for sentencing as my powers are not sufficient to deal with this today.
"I cannot tell you when, but it will usually be in three or four weeks.
"I grant you bail but you must turn up at Southwark Crown Court on the day you are told otherwise you may be committing a separate offence."
