UK store clerk steals thousands in lottery scratch tickets, wins nothing

Feb 10, 2019, 8:03 am (23 comments)

UK National Lottery

A debt-ridden Scottish store clerk stole £1,500 (US$2,000) worth of lottery scratch tickets from the store where he worked, and didn't win a single penny.

Andrew Lochrie, 28, helped himself to rolls of the National Lottery instants games from the supermarket where he worked hoping to clear mounting debts.

But over the course of his crimes, between August 1 and October 24, 2017, Lochrie won nothing — which a judge told him was "a lesson".

Lochrie worked at the Co-op supermarket on Shore Street, Gourock, Scotland, and eventually admitted to his employers what he had done.

He pleaded guilty at Greenock Sheriff Court.

Defending, Edel McGinty said, "There was an investigation within the workplace and he made full and frank admissions to his employers. He is filled with shame and regret.

"It is not lost on Mr Lochrie that he was in a position of trust. This was an act of desperation at a desperate time."

Sheriff Andrew McIntyre said, "That is a lesson in itself that £1,500 worth of scratchcards didn't yield anything. This was a hopeless attempt by you to address your problem.

"You were in a position of trust. This offence crosses the threshold for prison but the social work department has made it plain that you are suitable for a community-based disposal."

Lochrie, who now has a job elsewhere, was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work within nine months.

He was also ordered to repay the Co-op £1,500 in compensation.

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

Bleudog101

Another story for stupid criminals!

CDanaT's avatarCDanaT

 "This offence crosses the threshold for prison but the social work department has made it plain that you are suitable for a community-based disposal."

Green laugh  Sounds more like what you place in a Diaper Genie

slipsinker

Yes, the lesson is , don't buy scratch tickets. Odds are you'll lose.

Raven62's avatarRaven62

Does crime pay? If not, why do so many people commit it?

https://www.quora.com/Does-crime-pay-If-not-why-do-so-many-people-commit-it

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

Quote: Originally posted by slipsinker on Feb 10, 2019

Yes, the lesson is , don't buy scratch tickets. Odds are you'll lose.

Actually, don't buy any lottery tickets. Odds are you'll lose.

Why play. It's that "dollar and a dream".

atoz

What I find odd about this story is not winning even a single penny.  That super hard to believe. Here in the US if you were to buy a whole roll or pad of scratch tickets you would have a centain amount of winners in them.  I am not sure what the percentage is but isnt it most generally 60% or better is returned to the players in winning tickets.

Story said it compared to spending 2,000 in US dollars... so that would figure about 1200 hundred being returned as winners.  That lottery over there ought to be checked out if this story is true.... the lottery itself has a license to steal with no winners out of that amount of money.

Raven62's avatarRaven62

His worldview does not believe that theft is unacceptable!

music*'s avatarmusic*

Quote: Originally posted by atoz on Feb 10, 2019

What I find odd about this story is not winning even a single penny.  That super hard to believe. Here in the US if you were to buy a whole roll or pad of scratch tickets you would have a centain amount of winners in them.  I am not sure what the percentage is but isnt it most generally 60% or better is returned to the players in winning tickets.

Story said it compared to spending 2,000 in US dollars... so that would figure about 1200 hundred being returned as winners.  That lottery over there ought to be checked out if this story is true.... the lottery itself has a license to steal with no winners out of that amount of money.

I Agree! with atoz. Camelot is the Lottery organization over there in Britain and Scotland. I believe it is here in Illinois also. Keep an eye on them.

 Lottery winners be aware. Desperate people do desperate things.

shy1979

Stole rolls of Lottery tickets and didn't win a single penny... Sounds like the lottery has some explaining to do as well.

oate's avataroate

I kinda feel sorry for him.

duckman's avatarduckman

When I hear these stories about clerk lottery theft over many months, I always question the accounting and inventory control procedures in place at these stores. With proper procedures in place, this would be spotted in short order.

cbr$'s avatarcbr$

I have no pity for this  person. The time now being used to work free 200 hours proof this person  had a another option a full or part - time 2nd Job. Not stealing. Think about it. He did it because he was in debt. Guess what he is about to be in more - debt . He has to repay the   people for the tickets. What ever debt that started this is still hanging over his head got to be paid with interest. Life goes on.

jackpotismine's avatarjackpotismine

I doubt he "didn't win a single penny.  " I sure he won small amounts but in the end, it was as if he didn't win a si.gle penny. He has more debt now than ever before.

Tucker Black's avatarTucker Black

Quote: Originally posted by jackpotismine on Feb 10, 2019

I doubt he "didn't win a single penny.  " I sure he won small amounts but in the end, it was as if he didn't win a si.gle penny. He has more debt now than ever before.

I agree. If the statement was just from him "and I didn't even win a penny!", and not the lottery, it might be him trying to get compassion, and it appears to have worked. In America, if you steal $2,000, you are going to jail. Even just 30 days would be better than that slap on the wrist. But it's Europe where they feel sorry for stupid people.

In the state of Texas, every roll of scratch-offs has a guaranteed number of winners. It's posted on their website. If this lottery simply prints winners at random, then there's a chance that every stolen scratch-off was a loser, but it's highly unlikely, so I'm sticking with my theory that he's not only a thief, but a liar as well.

Shame!

Cassie8620's avatarCassie8620

Quote: Originally posted by shy1979 on Feb 10, 2019

Stole rolls of Lottery tickets and didn't win a single penny... Sounds like the lottery has some explaining to do as well.

LOL to you, shy LOL ikr!(i know right) lol

my friend was hearing about this and him and sister over here tonight my house  goes,

"Cassie, hmmm, sound like the uh- ummm lotto dept. over there really has some explainin' to do LOL,  then i am reading you're saying same. small world... lol 

 

and btw, some crime(s)do pay. many who robbed a bank,got away wit' it, as i see many stories on this, living' large,good, and low-key, doing well etc., was never even caught!#smh but they got away wit it, so to some, (smarter robbers it do pay.)by what i read online and hear on news how some bank robbers were never caught,still aren't.

Groppo's avatarGroppo

.

To all Lottery ticket thieves.   Please stop, OK?

TheMeatman2005's avatarTheMeatman2005

Some lottery sellers use a dedicated register for lottery ticket sales. They also tally up at the end of the night or after each shift. They would know if $5 was short right away. 

How could this guy get away with so much without the store knowing? What?

reddog's avatarreddog

Now he knows how people in North Carolina feels about the sorry scratch offs.

noise-gate

" He is filled with shame and regret." 

However, others may thank him for helping them save money by not buying worthless scratchers.

slipsinker

That's why I don't play the odds I play the probabilities.

Tucker Black's avatarTucker Black

Quote: Originally posted by TheMeatman2005 on Feb 11, 2019

Some lottery sellers use a dedicated register for lottery ticket sales. They also tally up at the end of the night or after each shift. They would know if $5 was short right away. 

How could this guy get away with so much without the store knowing? What?

You don't need a dedicated register. Just run the reports -- total lottery sales, cigarettes, gasoline, etc. Then do inventory. Apparently this store didn't believe in doing inventory.

dannyct

I hope he doesn't have any plans to visit the US! Niw that he has a criminal record, he won't be allowed into the country. That is also a good lesson for him.

kao1632

Quote: Originally posted by Tucker Black on Feb 10, 2019

I agree. If the statement was just from him "and I didn't even win a penny!", and not the lottery, it might be him trying to get compassion, and it appears to have worked. In America, if you steal $2,000, you are going to jail. Even just 30 days would be better than that slap on the wrist. But it's Europe where they feel sorry for stupid people.

In the state of Texas, every roll of scratch-offs has a guaranteed number of winners. It's posted on their website. If this lottery simply prints winners at random, then there's a chance that every stolen scratch-off was a loser, but it's highly unlikely, so I'm sticking with my theory that he's not only a thief, but a liar as well.

Shame!

How much does 30 days in jail cost the state?

 

And what do you hope to achieve by sending the person to jail? This guy is considered "unlikely to reoffend". sending him to jail is just likely to teach him new ways of stealing and make dubious new friends.. Keeping him out of jail is a positive for society..

As for the punishment.. (1) he now has a criminal record. (2) he has to pay back the 1500 pounds (3) he must complete 200 hours of approved "community service" (what it is called in NZ) inside the next 9 months.. that essentially means most of his Saturdays over the next nine months.

 

If he fails to pay the money, and fails to complete the community service, he can be called back to court and can be sentenced to jail (the feeling would be.. we gave you the easy option, your failed ot hold up your end, "Go directly to Jail. Do not pass Go"...

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