PRI phone card thefts

Jul 4 2008 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A PERTH woman, who said she was having money problems, stole more than £600 worth of mobile phone top-up vouchers while working for the WRVS at a local hospital.

Karen McLean (42), of Brahan Terrace, pocketed the vouchers on three occasions between September 7 and October 5 last year.

She was working at the charity organisation’s shop at Perth Royal Infirmary at the time.

On the first occasion, she stole vouchers worth £80 and helped herself to another £310 worth the next time. She finally made off with vouchers to the value of £255, taking the total to £645.

In a letter to the court, McLean said: “Sorry for what I did. I was having money problems and it was a way to keep money in the phone.”

The vouchers weren’t recovered.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said he would call for social inquiry and community service reports before sentencing her on August 6.