– Salesman stole £176k from dealers
– Fraud uncovered at Evans Halshaw
– Jail sentence suspended
– Salesman stole £176k from dealers
– Fraud uncovered at Evans Halshaw
– Jail sentence suspended
A car salesman who stole more than £176,000 from two dealership employers to fund a gambling addiction has avoided an immediate prison sentence.
Joe McStein, 31, abused his position as a sales leader at Evans Halshaw in Northwich in 2023, using his access to internal systems to defraud the business of almost £41,000.
Evan Halshaws theft
The Warrington Guardian reports that his actions came to light when a sales director discovered a customer had driven away without settling a £3,000 balance. When challenged, McStein admitted the customer had paid but he had pocketed the money.
An internal investigation revealed a wider pattern of dishonesty, including taking undeclared cash payments, diverting bank transfers into his own account, and manipulating invoices to conceal missing funds. He later admitted to eight offences totalling just under £41,000 to police in January 2025.
Despite this, McStein secured a role as a sales manager at Williams BMW in Liverpool weeks later, where he went on to steal 11 high value vehicles over a seven month period.
Second offence at Williams BMW
The cars were sold on to a nearby used car dealer, who was not charged after convincing prosecutors the vehicles had been bought in good faith.
Williams BMW recovered only two vehicles and suffered losses of £135,640, alongside more than £11,000 in goodwill payments to customers.
McStein admitted the further theft offences when interviewed by police and later pleaded guilty at magistrates’ courts in Cheshire and Sefton.
Sentencing him at Liverpool Crown Court, His Honour Judge Garrett Byrne said: “Ordinarily, there would be no question you deserve to go straight to prison. You were in a senior, trusted position, yet you abused this trust to steal large sums of money from your employer.
“There are also elements of sophistication in the means you used to cover your tracks. However, there are features of this case which are truly exceptional, and I admit, I have never seen them before.
“You have an entrenched gambling disorder from a blueprint laid down psychologically at the age of seven, which you are now trying to escape. You are making extensive and sincere attempts to rehabilitate yourself; you have not gambled since 2024; and you have handed over all financial control to your partner.”
McStein, of Crosby, was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, undertake 30 days of rehabilitation activity, and receive 12 months of mental health treatment.
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