Warehouse worker admitted stealing iPhones worth £5,500 from parcel depot after being caught on camera

Patryk Jablonski was caught after management at the DHL distribution centre launched an investigation.

Leeds Crown Court heard Jablonski had worked at the centre in Leeds for six years and was a highly-trusted member of staff.

Paul Canfield, prosecuting, said suspicions arose at the firm after figures showed a high number of stock losses between September 2019 and January 2020.

A senior member of staff was asked to carry out an investigation after a cleaner found a large bag containing £60,000 of high-value electrical items hidden under some machinery in the back of the warehouse on January 20, 2020.

CCTV footage was reviewed and Jablonski was seen unloading a wagon containing the bag of electrical items using a forklift truck.

The footage also showed him placing the bag under the machinery.

Mr Canfield said the manager was also informed about an empty John Lewis box being found near to some pallets on January 19.

The barcode on the box was scanned and showed that it should have contained a mobile phone.

CCTV footage from Boxing Day 2019 showed Jablonski and another man approaching a cage in the warehouse and removing items which included the John Lewis box.

Jablonski was interviewed about both matters and admitted stealing the phone from the John Lewis box.

He said he had been asked by another man to move the bag of electrical goods so they could be stolen.

Jablonski went on to admit stealing items from the warehouse on other occasions.

His home was searched and five iPhone worth £5,500 were found.

The phones were in a bag with a delivery note linking them to a DHL depot in York.

The prosecutor said the manager estimated that items worth a total of £23,748 had gone missing from the Gildersome warehouse.

Jablonski went on to admit hiding items so they could be stolen and sold.

He said he became involved in the offending as he had no money.

Jablonski, 25, of The Croft, Glass Houghton, pleaded guilty to theft from employer.

He has no previous convictions.

David McGonigal, mitigating, said Jablonski pleaded guilty to the offence at an early stage and had co-operated with the investigation.

The barrister said his client pleaded guilty to the offences on the basis that he had stolen £5,500 worth of items.

Mr McGonigal said Jablonski had found employment working as a courier after losing his job.

Jablonski was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

He was also ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid work and to complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Judge Simon Batiste said: "What is clear is that you were involved in an operation to surreptitiously hide in the warehouse where you work, large amounts of high-value items."

The judge added: "Actions like this for a company such as DHL can cause reputational damage."