Thieving Woolworths employee happy to “call it even”, despite wage theft

A former Woolworths (ASX: WOW) employee has admitted to systematically stealing from the supermarket whilst working in the fresh produce department and is therefore not going to pursue his share of the $300 million underpayment scandal. 

Throughout shifts whilst a teenager, Hugh Honey would capitalise on his role by pinching a grape or a few nuts each time he walked through the produce sections. 

“On a normal four hour shift, I would probably eat 20 grapes and 200 grams of peanuts,” said Honey. 

“Everyone did it but considering how little I was earning, I supplemented proper meals for grapes of peanuts which I just ate for dinner five nights a week. 

“Quite frankly, it’s the healthiest I have ever eaten consistently so I have a lot to thank Woolworths for. Managers knew I was doing it but didn’t care because they all did it too so I’m happy to just call it even.”

With Honey have spent four years at Woolworths working five nights per week, he didn’t have an exact figure for how much money he saved from pinching grapes and nuts but estimated it to be substantial. 

At $7 per kilo, 20 grapes equated to roughly $1.50 whilst 200g of peanuts also worked out to roughly $1.50. 

It is estimated that over Honey’s period of employment he stole more than $3,100 in grapes and peanuts.