Monday, December 13, 2010

Theft of City Money Goes Unpunished

According to a recent press release, the theft of eleventy billion Annapa-bucks has been fully investigated, with the governing authorities "declining to press charges".

(Elevnty billion Annapa-bucks equal $150,000.  This is an homage to a family in my neighborhood--we'll call them the Smith family to protect their identity--that created 'Smith-bucks' that they gave to their kids when the kids did something good.  The problem came in the currency conversion; Smith bucks were redeemable at a 1 to 1 ratio with real bucks, and the Smith's had to devalue their currency or risk their kids bankrupting the family at a recent Disney vacation.)
Mayor Joshua J. Cohen announces that the Annapolis Police Department has concluded its investigation into the theft of more than $150,000 in checks and cash from the Finance Department. During the course of the investigation, a City employee was identified as a person of interest; however, the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office declined to file criminal charges. The person of interest is no longer employed by the City.
I have some sympathy for the city.  You can't always account for every Tom / Dick / Harry that tries to rip you off.  I once had an employee leave a pan of chicken in the oven and run off with a check for $17,000.  He crossed out the company's name and wrote his own name, forged my signature, and made it approximately 45 minutes before the check was cancelled and he was fired.  I'm also currently in the process of installing security cameras, much like the increased measures the city took in response to this matter.

Sometimes it takes a problem to lead you to a better solution.  Much like myself, the city's fortunate this wasn't a bigger disaster.

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