'Teenage thrill' theft from mint

Jeffrey Price hid the money in his clothing

A worker at the Royal Mint was caught trying to steal £6 from his employers as he carried out what a judge called a "classic teenage thrill".

Jeffrey Price, 19, was taken on as a civil servant at the mint, in Llantrisant, south Wales, where millions of pounds are kept in top-security storage.

But following a random search as he left work, Price was caught with just five £1 coins and two 50p pieces hidden in his clothing.

Dan Williams, defending Price at Pontypridd Magistrates Court, said: "He is extremely remorseful about his behaviour and the embarrassment he has caused his family.

You just wanted to see if you could get away with it for a classic teenage thrill Judge Jill Watkins

"There was a distinct lack of sophistication about the offence."

Price, of Pontypridd, was sentenced to 120 hours community punishment and ordered to pay £60 costs.

Judge Jill Watkins told him: "You were lucky enough to get a job in a position of trust at the Royal Mint and you breached that trust.

"But you just wanted to see if you could get away with it for a classic teenage thrill.

"If you had been over 21, you would be going to jail."