Jamie Lesley Campbell (36) had been working at Port Chalmers Four Square for a couple of years when the thefts began in February, the Dunedin District Court heard yesterday.
The victims — the husband and wife owners of the store - told the court the betrayal was made worse because they saw the defendant as a trusted friend.
"They helped you practically and financially when you had difficulties ... They extended assistance to you and you repaid that by stealing from them," Judge Michael Turner said.
Campbell had worked his way up to being "effectively the third person in charge of the supermarket".
His responsibilities included balancing the banking and Lotto till takings.
Over the course of three months, Campbell pocketed cash on a dozen occasions, usually $500-$600 at a time.
Aware of the area the store’s CCTV covered, the defendant would take the till drawer to blind spots to commit the thefts.
It was only when the owners realised the takings and the banking did not tally that Campbell’s crimes became apparent.
He was suspended on full pay on April 14 and subsequently resigned from his position.
Counsel Alan de Jager said the issues arose when his client got behind with his financial commitments.
Campbell resorted to alcohol, then turned to gambling, in a desperate bid to cover his "snowballing" debts.
Mr de Jager told the court the defendant had self-referred to Alcoholics Anonymous and other counselling services and requested the TAB ban him for life from its premises.
Campbell was now on a benefit, and had saved $300 as an initial repayment to his ex-employers.
It was an "enormous breach of trust" and not his first time before the court for dishonesty, Judge Turner noted.
The defendant had two other lower-level theft convictions from 2004.
Campbell was sentenced to four and a-half months’ home detention, to be served at an address just 500m from the scene of the crime, and was ordered to repay the stolen cash at $50 a week.
