KFC worker stole £11,000 processing thousands of fake £1.99 refunds in chicken scam
James Anderson embarked on the elaborate scam because he didn't want his fiancée to make more money than him
A KFC employee has admitted to stealing over £11,000 from his employers — just £1.99 at a time.
James Anderson, 30, processed thousands of returns for the restaurant’s infamous popcorn chicken, but instead of handing the money to customers, he kept it for himself.
Anderson was in tears for the majority of his hearing at Basildon Crown Court, where he admitted he stole £10,841 from the fast food restaurant.
For over a year, Anderson, of Basildon, pretended to give the money back to customers for the £1.99 snack food, while pocketing the cash instead.
The court heard how the 30-year-old had embarked on the money-making strategy in January of last year because his fiancée made more than he did, and he wanted to contribute to their upcoming wedding.
He admitted to one count of theft from his employer after he was caught in February this year.
Bosses at the KFC franchise in Pitsea, Essex first became suspicious of the employee when they noticed the high number of refunds being processed under Anderson’s till ID.
Mitigating, Yvette Kresner, said: “Popcorn chicken was the product that was used in relation to the refunds.
“He’s very fortunate that his wife still wanted to marry him.
“He realised that by trying to be on a par with his partner and not relying on her, the beginning of their married life could be fragmented forever.
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“He says he hadn’t really reflected on his actions but he has now had a great deal of time to reflect.
“There was some degree of planning, but his actions were not that sophisticated.
“It was always going to fall at his door that the money had been taken by him.
“He realises that he will have to pay something back but the reality is that he can only afford £150 a month at this stage.”
Meanwhile, judge David Pugh said that he was willing to give the 30-year-old another chance despite Anderson having a previous conviction for shoplifting and another for theft from an employer in 2008.
He told the court: “For a period of over a year, from January 2015 to February 2016, by giving refunds and taking the money yourself you caused a loss to your employer to the sum of £10,841.
“Because it is over £10,000 it has a starting point of one year custody.
“But I bear in mind that the money is at the lower end of that category.”
Anderson was handed a 28-week sentence, to be suspended for 18 months, after being given credit for entering a guilty plea early on.
He has been ordered to repay KFC £150 a month, to complete 150 hours of unpaid work, and to take part in a 30-day rehab programme and thinking skills course.
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