A bungling thief who stole almost £2000 of luxury goods from a swanky Scots jewellery store was caught after her boss spotted her wearing the goods in social media pictures. Taylor Thomson fell under suspicion after an internal audit at Fraser Hart in Edinburgh discovered that several items were missing from their inventory in February this year.
Store manager Emma Davidson concluded that the items must have been pinched by an employee and began scouring online accounts belonging to staff in a hunt for clues. After noticing ‘similar looking items’ being worn by Thomson in photographs, she called police who later cautioned and charged the 22-year-old.
Thomson, who now works as make-up artist at a concession counter in Harrods, appeared in the dock at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Friday where she admitted stealing a number of items from the jewellers. This included a £1250 stainless steel Swiss watch, a silver bracelet worth £155, a pair of 9ct yellow gold hoop-style earrings with a £205 price tag and a white gold diamond necklace costing £305.
The goods were pinched between June and October 2021 while Thomson worked at the Princes Street store. Fiscal depute Duncan McKenzie told the court: “Between the 14th of February and the 18th of February 2022, an audit was conducted for stock inventory at the locus.
“Eleven items could not be accounted for. Upon checking all the usual places where stock was kept, it was concluded that the items had likely been stolen by a member of staff.
“The store manager, witness Davidson, began checking photographs on social media accounts and it was noted that the accused was wearing some of the property that was suspected to have been stolen. This was reported to the police.
“On the 9th of June, officers attended at Harrods Beauty where the accused is currently employed. She was cautioned regarding the theft.
“Officers noted that she was wearing a watch that was similar to one that had been reported stolen and the accused removed it. She said that her dad had bought it for her. It was a stainless steel Swiss watch worth £1250, which was seized by officers.
“With the consent of the accused, officers carried out searches at her flat and her parents address in Haddington. At her flat in Edinburgh, she initially directed officers to a bedroom which was not occupied by her.
“She then broke down and said that she had been extremely foolish and had in fact stolen the watch she had given to officers earlier. The accused admitted stealing further items of property including a silver bracelet worth £155 and a 9ct yellow gold pair of hoop-style earrings worth £205.
“Another item which was not recovered was a white gold diamond necklace worth £305. The accused stated that it had been broken on a night out and was no longer in her possession.”
Thomson’s defence lawyer told the court that the watch was the first item she had stolen but that it had initially been “by accident”.
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He said: “She tried the watch on because she was looking to purchase something like it but had forgotten that she was wearing it and then left (the store). After she became aware of it, she chose not to return it.
“To her shame, she realised how easy it was and thereafter completed the theft of three more items. She is remorseful and made full admissions.
“She pled guilty at the earliest opportunity and will now have a criminal record for theft which will cause difficulty going forward in life.”
Sheriff Alison Stirling questioned whether any of the items could be resold if they had already been worn by Thomson but this information was not available to the court at the time.
She commented: “I wouldn’t want to pay for a watch that someone else had stolen and that someone else had been wearing.”
Sentencing first-offender Thomson, Sheriff Stirling added: “Due to the high value of the items that you stole and the breach of trust, I’m going to fine you £1200. This is down from £1800 due to your early plea.”
The thief was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £75.
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