No break from the courts for chronic Okanagan thief

KELOWNA – The B.C Court of Appeal has upheld the jail sentence given a man who repeatedly stole from his employer.

In late 2010, the inventory shrinkage at the Kelowna Moores Clothing for Men store was the highest of any store in the franchise.

Walter Michael Laskowski later pleaded guilty to theft over $5000 and was sentenced last November to 16 months incarceration.

There were 57 incidents involving fraudulent refunds on clothing items.

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Laskowski, who admitted to a psychiatrist to being a pathological liar most of his life, told police he thought he was “smarter than the system” and used the money to take his family for restaurant meals that were otherwise unaffordable.

Laskowski has previous convictions for similar offenses with other employers.

He stole from a McDonald’s restaurant and from Kal-Tire while in management positions with those companies.

The Kal-Tire offense was still progressing through the courts when Laskowski was stealing from Moores.

Laskowski appealed his jail sentence, arguing he suffers from mental health issues that reduce his culpability.

In rejecting that argument, the court noted: “The difficulty for Mr. Laskowski is that the psychiatrist report does not draw a causative or contributing link between a psychological disorder or the depression of Mr. Laskowski, and the offences committed. Indeed, the pre-sentence report observes that Mr. Laskowski engaged in lies and deceptions ‘when his income did not meet his perceived needs'”.

The court said the 16 month jail time is likely a hardship to his family but should motivate Laskowski to be honest upon his release.