I know this makes me look like a stealer. Like I'm stealing money. Like that's like the most thing you could probably ever steal from somebody. It probably makes me look bad. It makes me look that I steal things, but I don't. On September 14th, 2022, officers from the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to investigate an incident involving an employee at Plato's Closet. The employee in question was accused of stealing more than $15,000 from her cash register. The initial investigation revealed that the employee had devised a scheme involving the creation of fraudulent transactions in the computer system, enabling her to pocket thousands of dollars. The victim reported that this fraudulent activity had been ongoing for several months. And upon reviewing the transaction history linked to her employee number, it was determined that the total amount stolen exceeded $20,000. Have you said anything to her? No, absolutely not. No, sir. Okay. Um, now the video surveillance. Um, so I noticed there's the 14th of this morning. Yep. And if I got that correct, you can't pull up any records or print out. Are you able to print out anything from the registers? From maybe yesterday, but not today. Okay. So, nothing from today. So now I know some registers like you can't do a finalized report up front, but you might be able to print like a Yeah, I can probably I can probably call Laura and get it done and she might be able to do it and send it over to me. Gotcha. Yeah. Okay. Now those cameras are the 14th and 12th. What happened to the 13th? There was two days there. Were you able to get a third day? Is today the 14th or the 13th? Today's the 14th. It was the 13th and 14th she did. Not on the 12th. Did I put the 12th? We're just asking. I thought Yeah, you wrote 12 on the envelope. So, all right. So, the date is wrong on the envelope. So, it's today and yesterday. Okay. And did you go back to look at anything on the on today's? Was she working on the 12th? On the 12th? Um, no, there wasn't there wasn't any discretions on the on that. Okay. Yeah, there's no discretions on that. As far as if you look at those sheets that I gave you, I think it wasn't just the 13th and the 14th. I think the 12th is clear. Okay. Cuz what we're going to try to do is we're going to try to talk to her, okay? and try and get a confession out of her cuz right now I'm trying to push for scheming of fraud or a felony. But right now, the only evidence that we have is the misdemeanor theft. Okay. Okay. Which is today cuz all we have right now that we can document and we have evidence on is her stealing money today and stealing money yesterday. Okay. Right. So as far as the other Yeah. 9 months, 8 months. Yeah. Yeah. But I mean this this can be pushed further correct because I mean that's just we'd have to really like Yeah, I know. Yeah, with the evidence there and that's why I reached out. These are some of my detectives that are coming with me today and we were just trying we like listen we're trying to push for the felony all that kind of money but as far as like the evidence you know the state could sit there and turn around and be like well how do we prove just because yeah so she gets on the computer it's her number she's the only one that can get in the computer with her and that's why the inventory that's why I told you about that inventory you're willing to do the inventory the other thing is yeah I already talked to my people they said here's the call data scan get it do the inventory I I will do it to get my $16,000 back. I won't do it. But the the witness the witness uh no the victim advocates they don't reimburse for restitution for restitution wise if she goes to jail for the felony right they're not going to give her restitution will they give her restitution to pay back the will. Okay. Oh yeah. If he's out any any monetary value. Oh yeah. They take that into consideration. And so let's say we get her and she only has 5 grand. Well, they're going to tack on $11,000. If we could prove that it was $16,000, they would tack on the $11,000 for restitutional good. All I got to do is an inventory and the merchandise isn't here and was still in the computer and never sold. It's fake. It's fake. Yes, it's fake. And that I can do. Yes, we need all of that. Okay, that would help. So, I'm going to have to do it. I'll have to call data scan and get that done. Cuz let's say today we figure all this out and let's say we talked to her and she's like, "Yeah, I did absolutely every bit of it. I'm sorry for doing it." Now, we have to prove it. So the charge that will she would get would only stick if that evidence was provided. If it doesn't, they'll just drop the whole case. It end up being like a petty theft or something just based off the last few days that they can prove on video. Okay. State wants to prove it. We can prove it later after we arrest her because there's still time for trial. So yeah, that's why that's such an issue for us as far as in a row. Yeah. It'll just sabotage the whole Yeah. degree of crime she committed. So I I'll get I'll I'll do I'll do a I'll do a thing on it. No problem. Okay, cool. Yeah, it'll take me a few weeks, maybe a month to get it done, but I can do it. And that and that's why I mentioned that early cuz I did explain to him, you know, earlier that, hey, without that inventory, we we at least slam dunk and say I'm missing 1,000 pieces of I thoroughly understand what you're talking about. All right. Proof. Proof. All right. Okay. I've got it on the computer. Now, I got to show it to you in in the uh inventory. Okay. All right. All right. All right. We'll meet you in there in a second. Um we're going to take her in the back. That's cool with you. Take her back to the back office. Unless you want to try to get How are you? Good. Deputy Lupy, mind if I talk to you for a few minutes or go in the back? Sure. All right. I'll let you lead the way to the office. Go ahead. You uh Oh, dang. I don't have the Oh, he doesn't. That's all right. You want We can just Yeah, just step off. Yeah. So, anytime I talk to anybody, I read the Miranda rights. Okay. Anytime I talk to anybody. Okay. So, you have the right to remain silent. Okay. Anything you say we held against you in a court of law. Okay. You have the right to talk to a lawyer for advice before we ask you any questions and have him present during any questioning. Okay. Okay. Okay. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed to you at no cost. Okay. If decides to answer questions without a lawyer present, you still have the right to stop at any time trying to request a lawyer to be present. All right. Do you understand this right? Yes. Okay. So, I wanted to talk to you cuz I have video surveillance. Okay. About the past couple days while you've been working doing these buys. Yeah. Okay. And you take these buys. I see you on camera taking cash, putting it in your pants. You want to tell me a little bit about that? Uh yeah. Um and let's be honest with you, like we're we're in a part right now to just fix it. So just being honest and helping us do the right thing and figure it out is the best way to move. Does that make sense? We've already been looking at this all morning. So we're not here to we're not here to get you to tell us everything. We know a lot already. So that's why we're just asking for you to be honest, right? So that's important. That's how you fix things. You know what I mean? Especially when you came and stuff like that. Does that make sense? You know what I mean? So I'm just trying to be I'm trying to be helpful because that's where we're at. Yeah. I'm moving forward. That's how you do fix things. Yeah. I just want to fix things. I I that's what we that's what we want to do, too. Make things right. And take things that aren't here is the best way to make things right is give it cuz that really helps with the whole process of where we found ourselves. Yeah. So, you want to tell us kind of what's been going on lately? Cuz it's been going on for a while, so we kind of got to use it on um I just been having some stuff that I don't want and uh well, majority of it is yeah, I shouldn't be taking money from him. Um for two times I have done that. um the other times. Um now, have you brought where is the stuff that you brought in? Um it's already like out on the floor, but it's just been like two purses and a pair of shoes. But anything else I You said honesty has been a big year. I just cuz I've watched the video surveillance. It is You're not bring You're not bringing anything in the store. you're not bringing the la the last like probably like I want to say two weeks ago I have been I I brought in two purses and a pair of shoes but um for the rest of the part the rest of the times I haven't. So you would say only twice is that am I correct only twice you brought in actual merchandise swapped it out? Yes. But the other the rest of the times you have done these transactions, you just scammed the register. Yeah. To think that there was a buy done. Yes. Okay. How many times do you think you've done this in the past year? Um I want to say a lot of the questions he's asking we already know the answers to. So that's why you're Yeah. I I'm I'm trying to think the truth because that's all we're trying to do is just find out it's figure out the truth. That helps your cause. Trust me, it is. Say more than 200 times. More than 200. Yeah. I wouldn't say that. Less than 200. I I don't even think it's 200 times, but I'm pretty sure. 100 times. How about How about this? How much money do you think you take? About I want to say a,000. Me a,000? Yeah. Cuz I have all the documentation. I have paperwork dating back until January. And I see all the and it's totaling way more than $1,000. You're doing a couple hundred. You're doing hundred something dollars a day. How much you take today? It's like 150, I think. Is that typically what you drink in a day? Yeah, I would say. Is it always over 100? Yeah. And when you say that you've done it at least 20 times. So if it's over 100 and you've done it 20 times, that's 2,000 right there. That's a rough estimate, right? See what I mean? How that adds up? So, where is this money? Um, I have it. You're saving it. You have it? Yeah. You have all the money? I I I don't know how much it would be. If I were to say $16,000, would that be about what it is? Yeah. Do you think you have all that $16,000? Yeah. Okay. And why what's what's going on? Why is it Do you have you ever been in trouble? No, I haven't. No. I'm just living in a hard spot right now. Um I live with a roommate and like I've been on my own for a while and I also feel like I've been 220. Go ahead. I've been working with him for a while and um and I feel like I do so much. Feel like you're underpaid. Yeah. And I know that's not his fault um at all. Like I should probably look for another job, but it's like I feel bad for him. like if I do leave and so what do you think what do you think will happen to him when he's sitting here going one now $16,000 you know he's immediate it's kind of it's it's not fair I shouldn't I should not be doing that right and I take full responsibility and add whatever comes with that and we we appreciate that uh any consequence is this is Just Is it because he hasn't paid you? Have you been paid? Oh, I have. I have. I have been paid. Um, have you seen me before? No. No. I know this makes me look like a stealer. Like I'm stealing money. Like that's like the most thing you could probably ever steal from somebody. It probably makes me look bad. It makes me look that I steal things, but I don't. That's this is why I'm just asking because there could be people who I mean we do this for a living. We can read people. So you can have somebody who does this on a daily basis. I know. Trust me cuz if somebody was in front of me and I'm like well you stole money like you're a stealer. You can steal your whole life. But but you're having a hard time. Like I said everybody goes through hardships. We do stupid things. We make mistakes. Yes. And this is a big mistake. Right. But at least you're owning up to a mistake. Yes. And I I don't want to label it as a mistake cuz that's just making me have sympathy for myself. But I do take full responsibility for what I Can I clarify something you said? So now we're up to said 1,000 originally. We all agreed there's more than that. You're saying there's 16,000 closing, right? And where is that at right now? I have it with me. Old 16,000. Um not Yeah. Where? In my bank. In your bank. Yes. So, you've made cash deposits with the money and put it into your savings in your bank or something? Yes. Who do you bank with? Regents. Regents. I can give him money that I've tooken from him. Where is that at? In my bank. You've already cashed from this morning. You already put in there. No. Where's that cash? I have. Where? It's still on you. Were you talking on your left side or No, it's it's in my purse. I feel really bad for doing this. Where's your purse right now? In the back. Well, okay. So, we're going to go get that. We'll all go together. I just feel really Are you willing to take that money out of your purse to give us longer if that makes sense? Yeah. And I'm willing to give back the money that I stole from you. Good. It's just I feel really bad. I understand you made a mistake. It It's It's a tough mistake. No, it is. It's It's a bad decision. And you still made it though. And I understand why you feel bad. Like And it's hard because I worked with him for so long. I don't want to stab him with the heck. And then another thing I've been having like dental issues. out of the $8,000 assist in my mouth. I'm like, it hurts me a lot and I needed that money. Like, sometimes the cysts are not good. Like, I don't know what they do to me, but they make me tired. Sometimes I'm really dizzy. Like, my mouth is constantly bleeding. Listen, I listen. I hear it. I need that money. You know, we we understand why people do things to give it all, you know, but you know, we learn from our mistakes. We got to make sure we adjust from our mistakes. You know, you're 22 years old. Get there. 21. 21. 21. I'm going to be 22. Yes. This year. We're going back like how how long would you say you started doing all this? For how long? Um I mean since whatever proof you have. I mean, well, you know me. I mean, I have the proof. I want you to be honest with me and tell them how long you think you started doing when was your first one, do you think? Like eight months ago to a to a year. Okay. So, you would you say safe enough to say January? Probably like one of the first times you probably But like I said, there's times where I've actually had items, but majority of the time I I I haven't had items. So, out of all those buys from January, you would say, if I'm correct, two times was the only times you actually had merchandise that of your own that you swapped out that I can remember. Yes. Yeah. Okay. All right. So, we'll go in there. We'll get Aaron. Okay. Get your purse. I don't have keys. All right. We'll get Aaron. Okay. This is you right here. All right. This is today's buddy. Love you. It was $183 is what she said was. So, I want you to go ahead and count that for me. Ignored. Holy God. Are you This is today. 2 4 1 2 3 4 2 3 4 3 1 2 3 I think some of that is my money, but I 70 Well, 374. And how much was stolen in the P? How much did you take in the past two days? Can I talk to them? To who? Aaron. Aaron. She wants to say something to you. She wants to talk to you. $16,000. cuz you ripped me off. I could be doing good instead cuz I'm taking out a loan just to survive cuz you stole 16,000 from me since January. What did you want to say? I'm honestly just so sorry. I mean, I don't expect you to I expect you to pay me back. Oh, I I am I mean I don't expect you to forgive me. Thank you. I was good to you. Nothing but good to you. Always treated you as my number one. It was nothing against you. It was my personal issues. It was It was nothing towards you. I believe. All right. I'm going to grab your bag here if you're just going to call me. All right. Okay. Um, do I have to go to the front? I'm not going to put you in here for a second, but we're going to walk out. We're going to walk out the front door. Okay. Okay. Watch your back. Where? Um, hold on a second. The suspect was charged with felony grand theft and received 5 years probation along with $20,000 in restitution fees. Do you think she received a fair sentence? Share your thoughts below. And don't forget to subscribe. Check out more of our police body cam videos here on the channel. Please like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon to get notified of our newest videos. In the meantime, check out our latest video here.