Shop could lose licence over ‘missing’ lottery ticket after owner lied to police
West Midlands Police said missing CCTV footage had “hampered” their investigation into the missing ticket
A 24-hour shop could lose its licence after its owner lied to police during an investigation over a ‘missing’ lottery reward.
Best One Store in Market Place, Great Bridge, Tipton, was investigated by West Midlands Police after a staff member was accused of stealing a winning lottery ticket and not handing over the correct prize to a customer.
CCTV footage from the shop, which should have been kept for at least a month, had been recorded over a week earlier and West Midlands Police said the missing video had “hampered” their investigation into the missing lottery ticket.
West Midlands Police said the victim had been given £30 in winnings for the lottery ticket only to realise later the prize should have been “substantially higher.”
After returning to the shop to claim the correct amount, they were refused for no longer being in possession of the ticket – a ticket that was kept by the cashier when the original claim was made.
During an investigation into the theft, the shop’s licence holder and designated supervisor Vincent Shaanmugarajah Thamilnesan told officers he was not the owner and could not access CCTV only to change his story when interviewed by the same officers when they returned a week later.
The shop was visited by police in February to view CCTV and make additional enquiries speaking to a man behind the counter who said the owner was away and he could not use the CCTV.
The same police officers visited the shop again a week later only to be told by the same man behind the counter that he was now the owner.
After requesting to look at footage, the owner said it had been recorded over a week earlier.
Sandwell Council’s licensing enforcement officer said they had “serious concerns” about the shop and urged councillors to give serious consideration to revoking the licence.
Sandwell Council’s licensing committee meets on June 30 to review the licence.
As well as being investigated over the ‘missing’ lottery reward, the shop was also inspected by the council’s licensing enforcement officers.
Mr Thamilnesan had not displayed the licence in the shop and was not available – alongside staff training documents – for inspection when requested by officers.