A GANG of three tyre fitters stole thousands of pounds-worth of unused stock to sell it on eBay.

But only one out of the three former Tyres on the Drive employees went to prison – as the judge heard he was already serving a lengthy jail sentence.

The remaining two were given suspended sentences, after Recorder Alexia Power was told they were remorseful and the probation service believed they could work with the men in the community.

Prosecutor Alec Williams told Swindon Crown Court on Friday that manager Adam Thomas, 29, and supervisors Ricky Waugh, 30, and Matthew Smith, 29, were based at Tyres on the Drive’s Swindon depot.

Thomas landed on a scheme to siphon off unused new tyres that were due to be returned to the manufacturer.

Smith was paid £50 to store the tyres in his garage, while Waugh handed over the details to his eBay account so the stolen items could be marketed online.

Staff at the depot were said to have grown suspicious. One worker turned detective, discovering that the tyres were being sold on eBay. He blew the whistle on the operation, prompting the company to launch an investigation and, subsequently, led to the police getting involved.

When Smith’s garage was searched, they found 72 tyres worth around £11,000. It was unclear how much had already been made from the online sales.

The three men’s illegal sideline lasted from July to September 2019.

Thomas, of The Lawns, Royal Wootton Bassett, pleaded guilty to theft by an employee. Smith, of Waterdown Close, Taw Hill, and Waugh, of Cranesbill Road, Melksham, admitted handling stolen goods.

Ranjit Sandhu, for Thomas, said his client had struggled with depression and anxiety. At the time of the offending in 2019 he was under pressure from his bosses. He had three young children and performed a caring role for his father-in-law. He was not currently working. Thomas had a previous conviction dating back to 2012 for stealing from his employer.

Alec Small, for Waugh, told the court his client was of effective good character, with one unrelated driving matter on his record. He was a dad-of-two and working as a driver. “It doesn’t seem sensible to put him in custody and take him away from his responsibilities,” the brief said.

Alistair Haggerty, for Smith, asked the judge to consider keeping any sentence as short as possible. His client was currently serving a seven year sentence for unrelated offences, with the barrister pointing out that the conditions in custody were particularly difficult for prisoners during the pandemic. He had been paid £50 to store the tyres but had lost more than £1,500 in withheld pay after the firm discovered what he’d been up to.

All the men were said to be remorseful. Thomas and Waugh both appeared to cry in the dock.

Recorder Alexia Power sentenced Smith to nine months’ imprisonment. The sentence will be served alongside his current jail term.

Thomas received 18 months’ imprisonment suspended for 18 months, with 180 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days. Waugh was given eight months suspended for a year-and-a-half. He must complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

Recorder Power told the two who received suspended sentences: “These are sentences on trust in the hope that you will not be back before this court again.”