Driver stole metal from his company

Driver stole £43,000 of metal from his company

A driver stole £43,000 of precious metal from the engineering firm where he worked to fund his gambling addiction.


David Cheetham, 41, was caught when his boss turned detective after an anonymous tip-off.

Cheetham would stockpile thousands of pounds worth of valuable metal shavings at a lock-up garage before selling them to a scrap merchant.

Beverley Tait, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court Cheetham carried out the deception while working for Lonestar LWD engineers on Kitson Road, Hunslet.

Suspicions were raised when the firm’s managing director was contacted to say that one of the company’s vans had been seen in Bradford.

The boss decided to investigate and moved the company’s CCTV cameras to inside a warehouse where stores of inconel were kept. Miss Tait said the material has a high nickel content.

The next day, February 11 this year, the director checked his computer at 6am and saw Cheetham arriving at work an hour and a half early.

He was then seen taking items from the warehouse and putting them into the boot of his car.

Police were called and around £1,000 of the metal was found in his vehicle.

A further £9,000 of it was found in the garage in Bradford. Investigations revealed Cheetham had hired vans to transport the metal from Bradford to a scrap merchant in Sheffield.

After his arrest he admitted stealing the materials to fund his gambling habit.

He said he had started the deception after being pressured by others but refused to name them.

Cheetham, of Middleton Ring Road, Leeds, pleaded guilty to theft.

Imran Shafi, mitigating, said Cheetham had been suffering from depression as a result of financial and obesity problems.

In March 2010 he was off sick after an operation and was only receiving statutory sick pay.

He said he was ashamed of what he had done but was supported by his family and had found another job.

Recorder Hirst gave Cheetham a 51-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, a nine-month supervision order and 160 hours unpaid work.