Aulds the BakersAn Aulds manager stole £68,000 from the bakery to pay back a drug debt.
Taylor Curl, 31, was caught after a string of discrepancies were discovered at Aulds in Glasgow’s St Enoch shopping centre.
Curl accumulated the cash over a 22-month period by voiding some or all of various purchases made by customers.
Senior management then sent mystery shoppers to the bakery where Curl was caught in the act.
Curl, of Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, was employed by Aulds Bakery in January 2018 as a branch manager.
Two years later, retail manager Lesley Marr noted “discrepancies” in reports related to “voided transactions with substantial figures”.
Ms Marr informed her husband, Alan Marr, who was a managing director, who then told financial director Craig Anderson.
A further investigation by Mrs Marr and Mr Anderson was carried out.
Prosecutor Ryan Watson told Glasgow Sheriff Court: “As a result of all the information, they were satisfied that Curl was the person responsible for the voided transactions.
“A total of £68,000 of transactions were voided.”
The hearing was told that in the previous manager’s time at the bakery, only £1,000 of transactions had been voided.
A decision was taken by senior management to have mystery shoppers enter Aulds.
Mr Anderson was selected as one of the participants as he had never met Curl.
He purchased several items, however, it was later discovered that the £1.75 he paid for shortbread had been voided.
Mr Watson said: “Another mystery shopper ordered three coffees, an empire biscuit and a sausage roll.
“Ms Marr carried out a search and there was no record of the sale which was voided off.”
Curl was spoken to by Mr Anderson and was asked to give an explanation, but she failed to admit to her conduct.
After receiving legal advice, Curl was sacked from her position.
The Marrs and Mr Anderson then reported Curl to the police.
Curl pleaded guilty to a £68,000 embezzlement charge between March 5, 2018 and January 23, 2020.
Mr Watson stated that there has been no repayment by Curl to the company.
Liam Runciman, defending, told the court: “She is a first offender and has no outstanding matters.
“She fully appreciates the seriousness of this and what may be the outcome for the disposal in this case.
“She had accrued a drug debt prior to this offending which is the background.”
The sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month by Sheriff Joan Kerr, who continued Curl’s bail.
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