Ambridge Connection
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Social Media
  • Calendar
  • Eat Local
  • Contact Us
  • Heart and Soul
  • Ambridge Monster Mile
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Social Media
  • Calendar
  • Eat Local
  • Contact Us
  • Heart and Soul
  • Ambridge Monster Mile

Ambridge Water Authority Employee Suspended, Accused of Theft 

7/1/2015

Comments

 
Picture
By Larissa Dudkiewicz

An Ambridge Water Authority employee accused of stealing $26,000 to $27,000 in cash has been suspended from her job without pay.

Picture
The office employee--whom police are not naming because she isn't charged--agreed to pay back the stolen funds.

Ambridge Police Chief James Mann said water authority officials have decided not to press charges at this time and is instead giving the employee 60 days to pay back the money.

Mann said the employee is from the Ambridge area and has worked for the water authority for 39 years. She plans to draw from her pension to repay the money.


“She was a long-time employee and they entrusted her with handling this money. Everybody is very disappointed and upset. So is she,” Mann said.

“Like I told her, sometimes good people make mistakes and do bad things. This is a perfect example of that, where a good person does wrong.”

Ambridge Water Authority Solicitor Garen Fedeles, General Manager Mary Hrotic, and Board Chairman Dave Bell met with Mann on Thursday, June 26, because they believed a theft had occurred with one of the office personnel. 



Officials are awaiting an audit from Mark Turnley of Ambridge, but initial figures show $26,025 was taken.

On Monday, police were notified that an analysis of bank deposits showed numerous discrepancies between Jan. 14, 2014 and May 7, 2015.

During that time frame, Mann said bank statements came up short on 157 occasions when compared to written-out deposit slips. The employee’s initials were handwritten on each of the slips.

“The same employee was the person who was counting the drawer and actually filling out the deposit slips,” he said.

Authorities believe smaller amounts of cash were taken in 2012 before larger sums started going missing. 


In 2013, a total of $4,890 in cash went missing. In 2014, a total of $16,109 was taken on 97 occasions. In 2015, officials reported $5,026 went missing on 20 occasions. 


Officials are awaiting an audit of June to determine if additional cash were taken. Payments by check or debit are scanned electronically and were not taken, Mann said. 

Mann interviewed the employee Monday and said she initially denied being involved, but eventually confessed. When asked why she did it, the employee said she needed the money.

Roughly $7 million to $8 million goes through the water authority every year because, in addition to water payments, the authority collects garbage fees for the borough and sewage fees for the Ambridge Municipal Authority. The water authority has paid the borough and municipal authority, and is out the money in this case, Mann said.

Negotiations between the union, the board of directors and the general manager came to the agreement that if the employee could come up with the money quickly, felony criminal charges would not be filed against her.

“It’s not uncommon for this to happen," Mann said. "The water authority is the victim and that’s their right to not proceed with any charges.” 




Print Friendly and PDF
Comments
    Picture
    Picture

    AC TEAM

    Alan Freed
    Felicia Mycyk

     Joshua Vucetich
    Larissa Dudkiewicz
    Musinga Bayingana

    ​Ryan Donnelly 
    ​

    Picture

    Archives

    March 2023
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013

    RSS Feed

_Home I  Disclaimer  I  Privacy  I  Contact Us  l  Advertise  l Donations I Live events
Copyright © 2013- 2017  Ambridge Connection. All Rights Reserved
​Website: Business Liaison
Copyright @ 2020 Business Liaison
Photos used under Creative Commons from garryknight, Predi, erix!, klestaaaaaa, Ravi_Shah, Baugher Webmaster Services, angeloangelo, antonekom, www.tOrange.biz, Fort Meade, Ruben™, mosaic36, janetmck, Sister72, Beverly & Pack, JeepersMedia, torbakhopper, Purple Sherbet Photography, soaringbird, clevercupcakes, slgckgc, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, stillriverside, JalilArfaoui, kennethkonica, Cláudia*~Assad, StockMonkeys.com, KathrynW1, slgckgc, amslerPIX, SonnyVisions Photography, Steven Vance, USDAgov, Accretion Disc, brizzle born and bred, ThoseGuys119, scoop1942, peasap, Vox Efx, blakespot, US Department of Education, StockMonkeys.com, SpecMode, steakpinball, menegue