A conman stole £40,000 from a supermarket safe while posing as a member of staff.

The man, dressed in a suit, served customers from behind the counter of the bureau de change inside Asda at Trafford Park, Greater Manchester, before accessing the safe and emptying its contents into a bag. He then walked out of the store.

A source told Manchester Evening News: “As the woman in the bureau de change was leaving, he slipped into the kiosk. He started to serve customers, just giving them wedges of cash, as he clearly had no idea about exchange rates.

“He apparently wore a glove, knew the code for the safe, punched it in and was able to empty it. At one point a senior member of the Asda staff walked past while he was in the kiosk and even spoke to him, but he just kept up the pretence as cool as you like.”

The source added: “He must have been caught on camera … Apparently the code to the bureau safe had not been changed for ages. He must have been in a few times and done his homework.”

A spokesman for Greater Manchester police said officers were called to the store at 3.45pm on 29 July after “a large amount of money” was stolen from the currency desk at the store.



A 22-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and released on police bail until 22 September.

Police are searching for the man and the stolen money. The man is described as Asian, in his mid 20s or 30s and of slim build. He was wearing a light-coloured shirt, black jumper and frameless glasses. An Asda spokesman said: “We are currently helping police with their enquiries.”