Bingo thief gets house arrest

 Stole $14,000 from north-side hall

The former manager of a north-side bingo hall was put under house arrest today after admitting stealing $14,000 of charity-bound proceeds to gamble.

Terry Joan Aikens, 58, pleaded guilty to one count of theft over $5,000 and was handed a 12-month conditional sentence to be served in the community.

Provincial court Judge Peter Caffaro ordered Aikens to be under house arrest for the first six months of the sentence and to abide by a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew for the remaining six months.

She must also perform 60 hours of community service.

Crown prosecutor Rhonda Tibbitt told court Aikens had been the paid hall manager at the Kensington Bingo Centre, 12538 132 Ave., and was a registered gaming worker.

Between Dec. 1, 2006, and May 25, Aikens stole money from the hall's concession account, in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $3,000, for a total of $14,000.

Aikens was caught following an audit by an Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (ALGC) inspector in May.

Court heard the inspector confronted Aikens after discovering $36,500 was missing from the bingo take and was told the money was in the concessions account.

The inspector asked for bank documentation and was provided paperwork which showed there was $12,000 in the concessions account. However, that still left $24,500 short.

When questioned further, Aikens said the money was in her desk drawer and gave it to the inspector.

But, after noticing a lot of the money was in sequential $50 bills, the inspector kept probing and Aikens eventually admitted she had stolen money and the $50 bills had come from a bank and were her repayment.

Defence lawyer Geoff Green told court Aikens had lost her husband of 36 years the previous year to cancer and was left with nothing but an alcoholic 30-year-old son, which resulted in her becoming depressed.

Green said Aikens used the stolen money to gamble, but always repaid it.

Aikens no longer works at the bingo centre.