Ipswich car salesman Graham Mays admitted stealing more than £5,000 from employer

A senior salesman at an Ipswich car company has admitted stealing goods to the value of more than £5,000 from his employer.

Graham Mays, of Alan Way, Colchester, pleaded guilty when he appeared before Ipswich magistrates to theft by employee from Lancaster Mercedes Benz.

The charge spanned the period between August 1, 2012 and June 30, 2014 at its premises in Ransomes Europark, Ipswich.

However, prosecutor Colette Harper told the court Mays had been a senior sales executive at the company and over a period of five years the 53-year-old had taken items and sold them through the internet site ebay.

The property was taken from part-exchanged cars.

Magistrates heard Mays had worked for Lancasters for 16 years.

When second-hand cars came in to be sold or scrapped there were items on the dashboard such as phone holders.

None of the parts sold by Mays were of significant value, however over a period of time they amounted to £5,276.12.

The court was told Mays maintained most of his colleagues would do the same as he had done and the company had previously turned a blind eye to the practice.

May admitted what he had done in police interview and pleaded guilty on his first court appearance.

He has also said he wants to pay all the money he made back. As a result he has left £4,500 in unpaid wages with the company, magistrates were told.

Magistrates were told Mays did not have any previous convictions and the impact of the court case on him had been profound.

The Chairman of the Bench declined to accept jurisdiction and committed the case to Ipswich Crown Court for sentencing at a later date.

Mays was released on unconditional bail.