AN ASSISTANT shop manager who helped thieves raid his store was paid £2,000 – which bizarrely was just £55 less than the intruders stole.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that Scott Cameron agreed to assist the men as he had gambling debts, but ironically he went back to the casino and lost his ill-gotten gains.

Cameron, 24, who admitted conspiracy to burgle and concealing criminal property, was given an eight-month suspended sentence, ordered to carry out 200 hours’ unpaid work, and placed under supervision for two years.

Geoffrey Fryar, prosecuting, said Cameron had been employed as assistant manager at Motor World, in Penny Lane, Wavertree, Liverpool.

Only he and the manager had the keys to the alarm system and safe. On October 4, he arrived at work and rang his boss to say they had been burgled.Š The police were called and it was found six satellite navigation systems, worth £1,000, had been stolen.

After the police left the manager discovered the safe had also been raided and the £1,055 contents taken. When the alarm engineer arrived, it was found that Cameron’s key fob had been used to de-activate the alarm.

Cameron, of Hemlock Close, Croxteth, was arrested and said he had been approached to provide his keys so they could raid the business, which was just about to go into administration.

“He received £2,000 cash, which was somewhat ironic since the total property stolen was only just £55 more,” said Mr Fryar.

Ben Jones, defending, said Cameron, who has no previous convictions, had had debt collectors harassing him and knew he was about to lose his job due to the administration.

He still has £15,000 debts, but is receiving counselling for his gambling problem.