Supermarket staffer stole $280K for meth

File photo / NZ Herald

A trusted staffer at a New Plymouth supermarket has been found guilty of stealing more than a quarter of a million dollars from her employer over four years.

Clare Strachan stole $282,718.80 from New World where she was administration manager, to buy methamphetamine for her and her partner, the New Plymouth District Court heard yesterday.

Strachan, 29, had worked at the supermarket for more than nine years and was trusted by owner Rob Dowman, the Taranaki Daily News reported. The theft, from July 2006 until May last year, nearly closed the business.

She stole the money through various means, including paying herself extra through the wage system, stealing phone card money and transferring invoice payments to her bank account.

After she was arrested at work on November 25 and fired, Strachan confessed to police.

Strachan's lawyer, Kylie Pascoe, said her client was aware of the seriousness of the offending, and was willing to take part in a restorative justice conference with Mr Dowman.

Her former employer told police he wanted Strachan to repay $236,990.09.

Judge Allan Roberts convicted Strachan on 51 charges of computer crime and theft as a person in a special relationship. She was remanded on bail for sentencing on May 5.

Her partner, Brendyn Clapham, faced 53 charges of money laundering, receiving, and using a document for pecuniary advantage which police alleged made up nearly $46,000 of the total amount taken. He has not yet entered a plea.

- NZPA