NatWest bank employees admit stealing £30,000 from Harpenden branch

Posted on May 9, 2008

Two bank cashiers stole £30,000 from the Harpenden branch of their employer NatWest.

Hannah Carre, aged 22, from Eaton Bray, and Margret Busani, aged 42, from Dunstable, pleaded guilty in court this morning (Friday) to stealing £15,000 each from ATM machines at the Harpenden town centre NatWest bank between October and February.

They also admitted at St Albans Magistrates Court to false accounting relating to entries into an ATM balancing book.

Busani admitted conspiring with Carre to carry out the theft after their manager noticed money was missing.

The court heard in their defence that the crime was opportunistic and that they were both struggling to manage debts which included Busani's overdraft of around £8,000 and Carre's overdraft of £1,000.

It was claimed that Busani's husband had fallen ill making her the breadwinner, and that Carre's boyfriend had left the country which landed her with all of the domestic bills.

Their defence solicitor said the money was not spent on lavish things but was used to meet household expenses.

The pair allegedly felt they could not turn to their employer for help because they had seen customers seeking financial assistance being turned away.

The magistrates were asked to pass sentence but they decided that due to the seriousness of the crime, the pair should be committed to Crown Court where they will be sentenced at a later date.

Source: The Herts Advertiser, 9 May 2008