A SHOP worker spent a week drinking in a hotel room and worrying what to do with the £45,000 he had stolen from a North-East store as the net closed in on him.

Police launched a hunt for Gary Crawford, 32, last week after he disappeared from his job at Argos in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, at the same time as the cash.

Two officers from County Durham travelled to York following a reported sighting and tracked Crawford down to the city's Quality Hotel on Friday.

He was arrested and £40,445 was recovered from the hotel room. Some sports bags were found dumped in a telephone box.

Crawford appeared before South Durham magistrates in Newton Aycliffe on Saturday. He admitted stealing cash and items valued at £45,373 from the Newgate Centre store on September 21.

Crawford had been the stockroom team leader at the store, where he had worked for eight years, and was the last member of staff to leave the premises that night.

The father-of-two then spent a night in a Darlington bed-and-breakfast before he travelled to York and booked a hotel room using a false name.

Liam Bryson, for Crawford, said: "He can offer no explanation for his actions, he made no plans to spend the money and had no problems leading to the theft.

"He just sat in his room drinking and worrying about how to get out of the hole he got himself into.

"To a large extent he is relieved. Now, he can face his family to try to make amends and offer them some sort of explanation.

"In fact, when arrested his first words to officers were 'I've been expecting you - I wish you had come for me sooner'."

Crawford, of Grey Gardens, Coundon, was remanded in custody to be sentenced at crown court.

Detective Sergeant Billy Hugill, of Crook police, said: "I would like to thank The Northern Echo for carrying an appeal for information into Mr Crawford's whereabouts, the public and Yorkshire Police for their help which led to us tracing and arresting him so quickly.