A former security manager at upmarket department store Bentalls in Kingston has been jailed after he made £50,000 by flogging designer goods stolen from the shop on eBay.
Daniel Clarke, 35, used the online auction website to run a business called PartTimeTrader that specialised in selling handbags, perfumes and clothing – all stolen from his employer.
The ex-deputy security manager is now behind bars after running his illegitimate business for two years alongside his full-time job.
He was found guilty of 15 offences, including handling stolen goods, fraud by false representation and possession of criminal property, after denying the charges.
He was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court to three years in prison.
Clarke managed to sell 400 items between 2012 and 2014 and pocketed £50,000 from the stolen goods.
But the department store became suspicious about missing stock and called in the Kingston town centre police team.
An investigation led by Sergeant Dave Williams linked the items being sold on eBay to the missing stock list from the department store.
After Clarke was arrested at his home in Staines, a search resulted in police also seizing £10,000 worth of watches.
He said: "I'd like to praise the security team at the department store for their meticulous attention to detail throughout our complex investigation.
"This substantial prison sentence reflects the gravity of his actions which apparently were motivated by greed and that ultimately abused the trust placed in him working in the security team.
"This sentence should act as a clear deterrent to anyone thinking that selling stolen goods through online auction sites is a low risk way of making a quick quid!"
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