'Obsessed' PC ran-up 75,000 points using Tesco clubcard scam

PC Shaun Pennicott, 42, racked up 75,000 points after discovering a loophole on self-service tills at his local store.

The married father-of-two found a scrap of paper could be inserted into the machine instead of a coupon offering bonus points - and that he could do this several times with each purchase.

Over two months he made 154 transactions at a Tesco Extra in Watford, Hertfordshire. On one occasion he bought a newspaper and used the 'voucher' three times to earn 450 points.

Customers normally receive a point for every pound spent on Tesco goods or services.

One point is worth a penny if used to buy shopping - but Pennicott took advantage of a scheme to convert every £2.50 worth into 600 airmiles with British Airways.

The scam was unearthed when Tesco staff contacted police after their computers flagged up the enormous amount of points on his Clubcard account.

Pennicott claimed he had planned to bring the loophole to Tesco's attention and his transactions were intended to prove the risk of 'substantial abuse'.

But he was found guilty of eight charges of going equipped to cheat and was ordered to carry out 120 hours of community service and pay £3,300 in fines and prosecution costs. Hertfordshire police have also been told to expect a letter of resignation from the disgraced officer.

Judge Michael Kay described the officer's defence as 'preposterous'.

"You were so greedy you would do virtually anything to obtain Clubcard points and turn them into air miles," he said.

"You regularly travelled abroad and that is what attracted you."

Luton Crown Court heard customers are meant to scan vouchers at self-service tills before 'posting' them through a slot in the machine.

But while the scanner would read a bar code, there was nothing in the slot to recognise the difference between the voucher and a piece of paper.

This allowed the voucher to be used repeatedly - either on the same occasion or on later visits.

Pennicott, who joined Hertfordshire Police in 1992, was let in on the secret when he struggled to use a voucher at one of four self-service tills shortly after they were introduced at his his local store in November 2005.

A supervisor came over to help and ended up resorting to the loophole - which was common knowledge among staff - inadvertently setting the policeman on his spree.

Astonishingly, during the trial Tesco admitted it had known about the loophole for some time but had not introduced measures to stop it.

Operations manager Kay Clements said: "We have calculated the loss and it is not enough to warrant the investment of putting [an electronic] reader in every machine."

Prosecutor Samantha Leigh said Pennicott was 'obsessed with Clubcard points'.

She mentioned a promotion in September 2005 where customers received 150 points if they bought three Birds Eye meals.

Over a three-day period, Pennicott legally bought more than 750 of the cheapest meals, earning nearly 38,000 points.

Hertfordshire police said they had been told Pennicott's resignation letter would arrive this week.

If he changes his mind and decides to fight for his job, sources said he would be sacked after being disciplined for criminal conduct.

After the case, Chief Superintendent Jeremy Alford said: "I expect police officers to be honest and act with integrity. Shaun Pennicott did not live up to the standards I expect."