A former employee for Jasper Park Liquor pled guilty to stealing $9,000 in cash from the store in Jasper Provincial Court, Sept. 8.聽
Darren Lush was arrested Aug. 14 after the business鈥� owners caught him pocketing money from the store.
鈥淚t might even be more than $10,000, but more time will be needed as the owners try to piece everything together,鈥� said Ron Hogan, the crown prosecutor. 鈥淭he fact that this was an employee/employer theft shows a major breach of trust.鈥�
Lush also pled guilty to one charge of failing to comply with conditions of an undertaking.
Hogan noted that Lush was arrested earlier this year after being accused of stealing approximately $17,000 from the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre鈥揾is former employer.
鈥淭hese (current charges) are a major breach while he was on release from stealing a major sum of money from a previous employer,鈥� Hogan said.
Defense counsel Laurie Rodger had little to say about his client except for the fact that Lush has been battling a drug addiction.
鈥淭he whole matter is a drug issue. He鈥檚 got a drug problem,鈥� Rodger said. 鈥淓very time he gets into a situation where money is available he ends up stealing it. With his current job there isn鈥檛 any cash so he鈥檚 been okay with it.鈥�
Judge J.P. Higgerty adjourned the matter for sentencing until Nov.10.
鈥淚 want to know exactly how much was stolen before we go to sentencing,鈥� Higgerty said.
Hogan said he believed the amount will probably be more than $10,000 once all the money is accounted for.
鈥淭he owners have come up with a partial number, but it鈥檚 not complete yet,鈥� Hogan said.
Until his sentencing, Lush will remain in custody.
Kayla Byrne [email protected]
