Worker dating manager’s girl steals £50k in safe raid

A MAN who dated his employer’s daughter broke into his boss’s house and stole a safe containing £50,000, a court has heard.

Kenneth McCaskey, 26, stole the security box from the Edinburgh home of his employer Jeremy Hitchins – despite being close to the family and enjoying dates with Lucy Hitchins.

His good relationship with his boss did not stop McCaskey removing the safe from their home at the city’s Royal Circus at some time between December 10, 2011 and March 5 this year.

The Hitchins only realised the safe had been stolen after their house was flooded. ­McCaskey then confessed to committing the crime during a tearful telephone call to Lucy.

He told his horrified girlfriend: “I’ve made my bed. I deserve to suffer for it.”

He then told her mum and dad that he had given the safe to an individual – who wasn’t named in court – to open, and that this person had taken approximately £30,000 from it.

The story emerged after ­McCaskey, of East Pilton Farm Crescent, Edinburgh, pleaded guilty to a house breaking and theft charge before Sheriff 
Gordon Liddle at the city’s sheriff court yesterday. McCaskey wept as he sat in the dock listening to depute procurator fiscal Karen Rollo tell the court about the circumstances of the crime.

She said that McCaskey worked for the Hitchins for three years before he committed the robbery.

She told the court: “During that time, he became involved in a relationship with their daughter Lucy.

“Mr Hitchins based his business at his home and the accused worked for him there. Mr Hitchins’ practice was to keep money relating to the business in a safe in the house.

“There was £50,000 which was kept in the safe. The safe was taken from the house.”

Ms Rollo also told the court that on March 3, McCaskey had contacted a colleague and told him he wanted to have a chat with him.

Ms Rollo added: “When the accused contacted him he said he wanted to have a wee chat and informed him that he had robbed the bosses and stole the safe.

“The employee was under the belief that most of the money had been paid back and did not discuss it immediately with anyone.

“Around about the same time, Mr Hitchins had a flood within his house and he 
discovered the safe was missing. When the employee returned to work, he told Mr Hitchins about his conversation with the accused.”

Ms Rollo said Lucy then got in touch with McCaskey to find out exactly what had happened.

Police then arrested McCaskey and he first appeared on the charge in private on April 1.

Sheriff Liddle deferred sentence on McCaskey to November 1, in order for the court to obtain reports about his character. It is expected that ­McCaskey’s legal team will explain to the court the reasons behind their client’s behaviour on that date.