A FORMER Ford boss has been jailed for stealing parts worth more than £27,000 from the motor giant’s Southampton plant.

Mark Costigan stole alternators, front and rear light clusters and mudflaps from the Swaythling factory while working as a production supervisor.

Southampton Crown Court heard the 43-year-old had taken the parts on three separate occasions by getting workers to load them into a new Transit van which he then drove home.

Meanwhile, as revealed in the Daily Echo, investigations are continuing into two other employees suspended for similar alleged incidents.

Prosecutor Timothy Moores told the court that a sub-contractor had become suspicious of Costigan, an employee at the plant for 16 years, when he asked him to load a van with palettes of light clusters and alternators.

The sub-contractor, who worked for parts supplier Penske, informed plant bosses and between June and October 2007, security guards watched Costigan repeat his actions twice more.

On the third occasion police followed him to his home where Costigan admitted: “You’ve got me”.

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He was suspended from work and later sacked.

Costigan initially pleaded guilty to stealing the light clusters and mudflaps but denied taking the alternators, but changed his plea to admit all charges on the first day of the trial.

The car parts had a cost price to Ford of £6,070 but would have been worth more than £27,000 if sold separately.

In mitigation Ian Hope told the court the father-of-two, who was on a £38,000 basic salary at Ford, was remorseful and had paid compensation for the full cost price of the items stolen.

He added: “He has done everything he could have done to set matters right.”

Sentencing Costigan, Judge Derwin Hope said: “For Ford to have in their midst a supervisor who is stealing from the company is a very serious matter.

“The damage you have done to the company is so serious only an immediate custodial sentence would be appropriate.”

Costigan, of Haselbury Road, Totton, was jailed for 20 weeks for stealing the alternators and eight weeks for each theft of light clusters, to run concurrently.

Ford spokesman Oliver Rowe confirmed the company was still investigating the other theft allegations.