PITTSBURGH — The owner of four Pittsburgh area grocery stores has admitted pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars by claiming customers used coupons he had employees take out of unsold newspapers.

Michael Mihelic, 60, of Franklin Park, pleaded guilty Monday to theft by deception and was sentenced to four years of probation. Authorities said he made roughly $300,000 through the scam but has already paid $275,895 in restitution.

Mihelic directed staff at his four Shop ‘n Save supermarkets to cut out the coupons, which were then submitted for credit.