A Milestone Hotel worker who lined her pockets with money unlawfully obtained from a poker machine cash dispenser claimed she stole to pay bills.
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Tereiti Raihi Perese pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing property from her employer when she faced Dubbo Local Court.
According to court documents the 42-year-old Dubbo woman first stole on June 3 at about 10.30am, when a closed circuit television (CCTV) camera captured vision of her approaching a poker machine cash dispenser.
Perese entered an access code and requested $2000. The money came out of the machine and she put it in her right pocket before she went back to work and completed other duties.
No customers were seen and there was no record of a $2000 payout from any poker machine at the venue.
Four days later Perese was seen placing a trolley and box in front of the cash dispenser.
Police said Perese moved the trolley closer to the dispenser to conceal the cash.
She took out another $2000 and put it in her pocket again.
Perese's employment was terminated on June 10 and police were notified. She admitted she took the money and said it was needed to pay bills.
Last week magistrate Brian Van Zuylen sentenced Perese for her crimes.
After her remorse and lack of a criminal history were taken into account, Perese was fined $4000 and ordered to repay the $4000 she stole.
She was also sentenced to a community corrections order for two years and forced to undertake 150 hours of community service work.