Milton Keynes worker with 20 years’ service jailed: did £1m parts theft and 1,000 items cost you?

A veteran employee, a bustling warehouse and an online marketplace meet in a cautionary tale about trust, temptation and vigilance.

Konrad Labinski, 42, has been jailed for two years after a Thames Valley Police inquiry uncovered at least £1m of car parts siphoned from a Milton Keynes distribution centre and linked to an eBay account in his name.

How the scheme came to light

Managers at the parts hub in Milton Keynes began noticing persistent stock discrepancies. High-value components were vanishing from inventory without matching sales or dispatch records. Internal checks flagged patterns that pointed to an external resale channel rather than simple miscounts.

The company cross-referenced missing items with listings online. An eBay account consistently advertised parts that matched the centre’s catalogue, quantities and timing of losses. That digital trail, paired with CCTV and access logs, focused suspicion on an experienced insider.

Labinski, employed for more than two decades and familiar with storage areas and shipping routines, was arrested at work as investigators moved to secure evidence. Officers then searched his home on Padstowe Avenue, Milton Keynes, where they found a cache of parts ready for sale.

Police recovered more than 1,000 components with an estimated value of about £1m, all returned to the firm.

What the court decided

Labinski pleaded guilty to theft by employee. Magistrates remanded him immediately, and the Crown Court later imposed a two-year custodial sentence. The court treated the breach of trust as an aggravating feature, reflecting the harm caused when a long-serving worker exploits privileged access.

Investigators said the thefts likely spanned around two years. During a formal interview, Labinski declined to comment. Detectives described the inquiry as rapid once the online link had been established and a plan was in place to catch him in possession.

Years of steady employment ended with the loss of a well-paid role, removal of company perks and prison.

The eBay trail

Resellers often list parts with limited provenance. In this case, item descriptions, batch details and timing helped investigators match stock with missing inventory. Payment flows and delivery addresses added further corroboration.

• Warehouse audits identified recurring gaps in high-demand parts.
• Online listings mirrored those part numbers and quantities.
• Workplace surveillance and access records narrowed the field to a single employee.
• Arrest at the site secured evidence of theft in progress.
• A home search recovered more than 1,000 items destined for resale.
• The court imposed an immediate two-year sentence for theft by employee.

Key facts at a glance

Impact on the workplace

Losses on this scale strain margins and disrupt customers. Missing parts force backorders, delay repairs and dent relationships with garages and drivers. Insurance excesses and premium rises add costs. Staff morale also suffers when suspicion spreads across teams. Long-serving colleagues struggle with the sense of betrayal when one of their own abuses access.

Managers often respond by tightening controls. That can mean more checks, more sign-offs and slower processes. The business pays twice: once for the theft, again for the extra friction that follows.

How firms can reduce the risk

Internal theft rarely hinges on a single weakness. It flourishes when gaps align: easy access, limited segregation of duties, and minimal scrutiny of online marketplaces. Practical steps can lower the odds.

• Rotate stock checks and split responsibilities for picking, packing and dispatch.
• Tag high-value items and audit them daily with exception reports.
• Monitor secondary marketplaces for your SKUs, part numbers and distinctive packaging.
• Use geo-fencing and access logs to match people, places and times of stock movements.
• Set up confidential channels for staff to report concerns without retaliation.
• Review employee benefits and pricing policies to reduce the lure of arbitrage.

What the law says

Theft by employee sits within general theft law but is viewed more seriously due to the breach of trust. Sentences depend on value, duration, planning, and the role of the offender. Immediate custody becomes more likely when large sums, repeated acts and a position of responsibility are involved. Courts may also consider compensation and the extent of recovery. In this case, the return of stock did not erase the potential harm caused.

Online bargains and red flags for buyers

Shoppers often snap up low-priced car parts online. Most sellers act legitimately, yet a few listings conceal stolen stock. Certain signs should make a buyer pause. Deep discounts on new parts without invoices, repeated sales of the same branded items, and mismatched packaging can be signals that something is off.

• Ask for proof of purchase or supplier details for high-value components.
• Check serials or batch numbers with a manufacturer when in doubt.
• Be wary of sellers who refuse collection or provide shifting return addresses.
• Report suspicious listings to the platform so they can act quickly.

Why experience can mask risk

Tenure often builds trust. It can also hide blind spots. A seasoned employee knows the rhythms of a warehouse and the moments when checks are light. That insight can become a tool for theft if ethics slip. Regular job rotation, enforced holidays and independent spot checks help reset that balance. People should feel trusted, yet know that systems verify.

What happens next for the company

With the recovered parts back in stock, the firm can stabilise supply. The bigger task sits with prevention. Expect changes to inventory controls, new oversight of privileged access and closer monitoring of resale channels. Training will likely stress conflicts of interest, while HR reviews policy on personal trading to close grey areas around side hustles.

For businesses elsewhere, this case offers a clear template. Map your most at-risk items, limit who can touch them, and track their journey in real time. Run test purchases on suspect listings and log your evidence trail. Your goal is not just to catch wrongdoing, but to make it unworkable.