TWO Amazon workers who stole more than £200 in computer games from the online retailer's Dunfermline warehouse were part of a “workplace culture” of theft at the site.

Aaron Newton Brown, 34, and Alexander Proctor, 22, avoided jail when they appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court last Wednesday.

They had previously admitted that on December 7 last year at the Amazon Fulfilment Centre in Amazon Way, Dunfermline, they stole a quantity of electronic games.

Fiscal depute Craig Donald said the men had been discovered with the stolen goods after a spot check was carried out.

Mr Donald told the court: “It was found that Brown had three electronic computer games, valued at £88, in his possession, and Proctor also had three computer games, valued at £125. There was full recovery.”

The Crown had accepted that the men had acted individually and not together.

Solicitor Sarah Meehan said Brown had been “struggling financially” and had hoped to sell the games.

She explained: “He appreciates the serious nature of this offence, given the breach of trust.

“He had worked at Amazon for three years, sorting items for onward delivery, and scanning items before placing them in a box.

“He accepts he did not scan the computer games but took them for himself and during the spot check they were found in his possession.

“His motivation was financial. The offence took place prior to Christmas and he was struggling financially. He took them to sell them to alleviate his position.

“As a result, he was made subject to disciplinary proceedings and lost his job.

“He's currently unemployed and a conviction of this nature will cause him difficulty in obtaining future employment.”

She conceded that Brown was “not a stranger to the court” but that it was his first offence for dishonesty.

However, Ms Meehan also said there was “a culture within the workplace” during Brown's time at Amazon and he had stolen the games “because he thought he would get away with it”.

Chris Sneddon, Proctor's solicitor, said: “He takes full responsibility and is clearly embarrassed.

“He is a first offender and was given the opportunity to dishonestly acquire gains.

“It's a matter he regrets. He lost his employment and fully appreciates there was a breach of trust involved and it's of a serious nature.”

Sheriff Charles Macnair called the offences “a gross breach of trust”.

He said: “It seems to me it was fortunate you were caught as it would appear from what I’ve been told this was a relatively easy offence to commit.

“A breach of trust of this sort is one where the most obvious and appropriate sentence is one of imprisonment and, had you gone to trial, I would have considered the most appropriate sentence would have been one of imprisonment.”

He imposed a community payback order as a direct alternative to custody. Brown, of 8 Hill Street, Lochgelly, and Proctor of 168 Main Street, Lochgelly, will have to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work within six months.

It is the second case of theft from Amazon Dunfermline to come before court in two months. In July, two former workers were sentenced after stealing goods worth more than £10,000.