Leeds car dealership sales worker stole thousands from customers
A cash-strapped car dealership worker has avoided custody after admitting defrauding customers out of thousands of pounds.
Grandmother Lisa Rachael Hargreaves was a sales executive at a Farnell Land Rovershowroom in the Leeds area between 2017 and 2019, until an investigation was launched in April 2019 when a former customer complained that £80 had been taken from their account.
They said the money had been transferred to a GoHenry account – a children’s prepaid debit account overseen by an adult – which turned out to be Hargreaves.
The probe found that nine customers had a total of £2,377 taken between January and April in 2019, with transfers ranging between £80 and £684.
Prosecutor Daniel Penman told Leeds Crown Court that Hargreaves was tasked with taking customers’ bank details for deposits on vehicles, but then began siphoning additional cash from the accounts to herself at later dates.
Hargreaves was invited to participate in an investigation by Land Rover, but declined and was sacked. She also gave a no-comment interview to police.
The 47-year-old, of Crowtrees Lane, Brighouse, eventually admitted nine counts of theft.
Hargeaves, who has two adult children and a grandchild, has two previous convictions for shop thefts dating back to 1991.
Mitigating, Stuart Field said she had worked at the garage for two years without incident.
Her ex then ran up debts that she became responsible for and she was “at the end of her tether”.
He said: “She had just come out of a seven-year relationship in which she not only suffered physical abuse, she also suffered financially as well.
“None of this excuses her dipping into the coffers of her employer’s customers. It’s something she bitterly regrets.”
He said she has since worked in Dubai, has cleared the debts and has saved up to help pay back the money stolen.
Judge Simon Phillips QC told Hargreaves: “In a nub, you defrauded nine individuals who placed their trust in you and your employer.
"Your employer will have suffered some reputational value as a consequence.
“You have many people down but you have worked hard to clear your debt and can repay the sums stolen.”
He jailed her for 12 months, suspended for 18 months, and ordered she repay the £2,377 owed.
He also put her on a two-month electronic tag curfew.