A former Oleander Cycles employee admitted to renting out bikes on the side and stealing money from the company.

Antonio Wilson Clarke, 37, of Random Lane, Warwick pleaded guilty in Magistrates? Court yesterday to stealing $661 from Oleander between October 18 and November 3, 2003.

Clarke also admitted to intending to defraud Oleander Cycles by making the relevant entries in a computer between the same dates.

Crown counsel Shakira Dill said Clarke was employed as a rental agent.

However in November 2003, Oleander?s Assistant Manager saw an Oleander Cycle parked at Blackbeard?s Restaurant which was not listed as being rented.

But as he was placing the cycle into his truck, a female visitor approached him with a hand-written contract which said she had rented the bike for a week from Oleander.

Clarke was immediately fired but Police could not locate him until February 2005, when he was arrested.

He confessed to writing out four contracts and using the cash for his own use, as he was in financial difficulties and needed to buy food and pay his rent, Ms Dill said.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner ordered a pre-sentencing social inquiry report.

Clarke was granted bail of $1,000 to reappear for sentencing on November 2.

?When I get the report I will decide how to deal with you,? Mr. Warner said.