A WHSmith store manager stole more than £5,000 from the shop’s safe to fund a spiralling catalogue shopping habit.

Mollie Wills, of Ramsgate, siphoned a few hundred pounds at a time over four months from the stationery chain’s Margate branch.

Prosecuting, Kiera Vinall told Canterbury Crown Court the 23-year-old was snared after bosses launched a probe when money regularly vanished.

“The loss prevention team in WHSmith was alerted that banking bands had not been collected,” said Ms Vinall.

“Wills admitted she had stolen the money to cover personal debts, and she was subsequently suspended from her position. The investigation by WHSmith was recorded and evidence was sent to police.

“This was a breach of a high degree of trust and responsibility and there has been a high degree of planning.”

Beginning in August 2022, Wills regularly transferred cash floats from the store safe to the tills.

By the time she was caught on November 25, the amount taken totalled £5,750.43.

The court heard the “store leader” trousered the money to help repay creditors after getting into trouble with catalogue accounts.

Phil Rowley, mitigating, said Wills, of previous good character, began repaying her ill-gotten gains before police formally charged her with theft by employee.

“Once [her debt] started, it very quickly got out of hand,” explained Mr Rowley.

“But one suspects it was one of those instances in which there was a good amount of relief once it was discovered and she had made full admissions.

“She had commenced repayments of the £5,750 she stole before she was charged and she has also been made to pay the costs of the WHSmith investigation which was a further £6,000.”

Having pleaded guilty before magistrates at the first opportunity, Wills appeared in the dock on Friday dressed in black.

Supported by a friend in the public gallery, Wills, who spoke to confirm her identity, could be seen listening attentively throughout the hearing.

Recorder Duncan Atkinson KC told her: “You have thrown away your good character.

“You told the author of the pre-sentence report that your plan was always to pay the money back, but it is clear that you would not have been able to maintain this because of the spiralling debt.

“You took out personal loans to try to repay your catalogue accounts but then struggled to repay those loans.

“But rather than seeking help, you helped yourself to the money of your employer.”

The judge handed Wills, of Dumpton Park Drive, an eight-month custodial sentence suspended for two years. He also ordered her to complete eight rehabilitation activity sessions, as well as 80 hours of unpaid work.

“No one is more aware than you of how much you have let your employer, your family, and yourself down by what you did,” added the judge.

“It is the hope of this court that you will never come here again.”