By Tara Shaskey, Open Justice reporter of 
Sherwin Ampaguey Tumapang held a managerial position at the Bunnings Bell Block Trade Centre. Photo: Supplied/NZ Herald
A manager at a leading retailer pilfered more than $38,000 from his employer over eight months, methodically processing numerous fake refunds that then went into his pocket to fuel his gambling addiction.
Sherwin Ampaguey Tumapang, 51, was employed by Bunnings Warehouse as second in charge of its Bell Block Trade Centre in Taranaki.
According to a police summary of facts, he stole $38,639.85 from the business between April and November last year.
Tumapang's modus operandi was to reprint an invoice and then complete a refund of the purchased items.
The process would usually require a second person to verify the refund but due to Tumapang's position, he did not need the additional clearance.
On each occasion, he turned off the CCTV covering the till and printer while he printed the invoices and processed the refunds.
Tumapang's offending began in April last year when he twice committed the act for varying amounts.
He then repeated it twice in May, once in June and July, and then twice again in August.
His offending then significantly ramped up in September when he completed nine fraudulent refunds and continued in October with five, and nine again in November.
The refunds were processed either as cash, totalling $10,720.03, or Eftpos, totalling $27,919.82, with the same three cards being used for all the Eftpos refunds.
Tumapang's actions were eventually detected when a loss prevention analyst completed an audit of refunds, revealing abnormal activity.
He was then charged with eight counts of obtaining by deception (over $1000), to which he pleaded guilty.
Tumapang told police he had been struggling financially to support his family, "fallen victim" to gambling, and "foolishly made some poor decisions he now regrets".
Sherwin Ampaguey Tumapang was sentenced in New Plymouth District Court. Photo: Supplied/NZ Herald
On Friday he appeared in New Plymouth District Court for sentencing before Judge Ajit Swaran Singh.
The court heard Tumapang had repaid $4000 of the money he stole and was committed to repaying the outstanding amount.
In sentencing him, the judge took into account the need for deterrence and denunciation, to hold Tumapang accountable for his offending and the harm caused to Bunnings.
He also considered Tumapang's need for rehabilitation, particularly around his gambling addiction, and a presentence report which outlined he had no previous convictions and was a low risk of reoffending, and that a positive restorative justice conference had taken place.
Judge Swaran Singh adopted a starting point of 28 months' imprisonment before applying credit for Tumapang's guilty plea, remorse, a restorative justice meeting, motivation to undergo rehabilitation and an offer to pay reparation.
He landed on an end sentence of five months of community detention and 12 months of supervision.
Tumapang was ordered to repay $34,639 at $25 a week with the condition that when he found employment, the rate would be increased.
This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.
