THIS is the hoard of cash found by police officers after a Basingstoke shop manager confessed that he had been stealing from his employer.

The stash of £50, £20, £10 and £5 notes – totalling tens of thousands of pounds – was discovered at the home of Edward Madeloso.

Winchester Crown Court heard that officers recovered the loot after Madeloso admitted stealing £31,400 from Trespass, an outdoor clothing store, in Festival Place, between November 2012 and February this year.

The court heard the 27-year-old was largely responsible for the store’s finances and failed to bank any of the store takings over that period of time.

Prosecuting, Jane Terry said that bosses at Trespass believe the actual amount of money stolen was in fact significantly higher, placing the figure at £40,048.62.

She said: “He simply did not take the takings to the bank.

“He filled in bank slips as much as he could without them being signed by the cashier at the bank.”

Suspicions were soon raised and Madeloso was questioned by an area manager in February. Although he initially denied the theft, he then admitted taking the money, and the police were alerted.

When officers went to his home in Pitcairn Close, Popley, they found the vast majority of the money he admitted taking – around £31,000 – unspent, along with bank bags and bank slips.

The court heard the value of the money found at Madeloso’s home has since been returned to Trespass in the form of a cheque.

Defending Madeloso, Sinéad Willox told the court that her client had got into debt after his house-mate moved out, and he was unable to meet the rent.

Miss Willox said: “He is extremely remorseful for his actions, genuinely remorseful. He is devastated – he has let everyone down.”

She told the court Madeloso had spent only a tiny amount of the money, saying he had found himself having to continue to steal after the initial theft in order not to raise suspicion.

The court heard Madeloso, who has no previous convictions, joined Trespass as a store assistant in April 2008 and in July that year was promoted to a supervisor position. He was promoted once more in 2012 to store manager and was earning around £1,000 a month.

Judge Peter Henry said: “This is a clear breach of trust by someone in a significant position of trust.”

Sentencing Madeloso, who pleaded guilty to theft, to 10 months in jail, Judge Henry told him: “It is extremely sad to see someone like you in front of a crown court.”