Cleaner stole thousands of pounds from safe in 'disgusting and low' theft

THE VICTIMS SAID IT IS 'SOMETHING WE WILL NEVER GET OVER'

- By MARK NAYLOR

A THIEVING cleaner stole thousands of pounds in cash from a safe in a “vile, disgusting and low” theft after finding the hidden key by pure chance and shamelessly helping herself to the money inside.

Mother-of-three Rosie Osbourne had a gambling addiction at the time but the victims of the “despicable” theft claimed from seeing social media that she may have also been spending their money on extravagant birthday parties, mountains of presents, brunch days out, a food delivery service, gym memberships, weekend breaks, days out, lunches and childminders.

Her trusting employers eventually realised what was going on and set up a trap before confronting her in an anonymous message, Hull Crown Court heard.

Osbourne, 31, of the Greatfield estate, in Hull, admitted an offence of theft between December 1, 2021 and April 30, 2022.

Connor Stuart, prosecuting, said that a woman and her husband, living in Holderness, employed Osbourne as a cleaner after she was recommended by friends. Osbourne helped in cleaning for the woman's elderly mother, who suffered from dementia, and her stepfather. They had a “good rapport” with Osbourne.

The couple kept money in a safe, including cash from the sale of a caravan, a jet ski and a scooter. They did not tell Osbourne about the safe or that there was a key for it under a pot. The theft was discovered when the woman’s husband went to the safe in April 2022 to remove some cash and he saw that a plastic bag was open, things were scattered around and much of the money had gone.

His wife had not been in the safe. She began to suspect Osbourne.