A COMPUTER worker who stole six laptops from Nationwide while he worked there has escaped jail. Graeme Leighfield stole the machines and tried to sell some of them on eBay.

At Swindon Crown Court Judge John McNaught ordered Leighfield to do 150 hours of community service and pay £355 costs and £195 compensation.

The 21-year-old of Glevum Road, Stratton, pleaded guilty to six thefts and one count of obtaining money by deception.

He was caught after a family complained to the police having paid him £195 and not received a computer.

When he was questioned by police he suggested others could have taken the machines, leading to them also being arrested.

Nicky Wootton, prosecuting, said Leighfield started working at the building society in Pipers Way in March 2002.

As part of his job he assessed old or damaged computers to see whether they should be repaired or scrapped. If they could not be salvaged they went to an external company.

Miss Wootton said Leighfield claimed to have put the stolen laptops back into the system as having been repaired when in fact he had taken them.

"He would then carry out further repairs on them before deciding whether they were fit to sell on," she said.

One was advertised for sale on eBay and came to the attention of a Mr Stevens who sent Leighfield £175 for the computer and £20 for its delivery but did not receive the item.

Following emails and telephone calls the Stevens family contacted the police.

"Leighfield accepted during the course of interview that he had stolen three laptop computers from the department where he worked," Miss Wootton said.

"He accepted he had advertised one for sale on eBay and received a cheque for £195 and cashed it. He also confirmed he had not sent the computer."

He told officers he felt he had been mistreated at work, which is why he decided to steal the computers.

Miss Wootton said that he also told police that he suspected other people had been stealing computers and they suffered the indignity of being arrested and questioned.

Leighfield was later told by police his bank account was to be investigated and he admitted stealing a further three laptops.

Mike Pulsford, defending, said his client had never offended before and had now not only lost a job he liked but also a new job after the firm learned of his past.

He said that while he had told police he suspected others had been stealing he did not say he had seen people walking off with computers or been told about it.

Passing sentence Judge John McNaught said: "I want to tell you that you have come very close to going to prison."

eBay criminals

eBay is now the world's largest internet auction website having been formed in 1995.

Every day, millions of items are bought and sold on its many international sites but criminals are now finding ways to abuse the website.

Last August Amanda Jones appeared in court after stealing model trucks from a Swindon family who had taken her in.

She photographed the trucks using the family's camera before putting them on the website and then used the money she got from their sale to pay off her own debts.

In 2004 Swindon youth worker Ian Harris paid £300 for an in-car satellite navigation system from eBay but when the parcel he had been eagerly awaiting finally arrived all he actually got was a box with a map of Scotland and a compass inside.