Duson convenience store clerk, security guard confess to taking $4500
Duson LA. Aug 21 2018 UPDATE: Duson Police Chief Kip Judice says today that he mailed a certified check for $4,500 to a Maryland woman who left her purse in a bathroom stall at a convenience store in the early morning hours on Friday.
“She originally said that she would travel back to Acadiana Monday to pick up the money, but when she learned that it would cost her over $1,000 in airfare, she agreed to have our office send her the funds via a certified check.”
Judice said the woman was active duty military and traveling through Acadiana enroute to Maryland when she made a stop at the Big D’s Truck Stop in Duson to use the restroom.
Judice said the woman left her purse containing the cash on a hook behind the door of the bathroom stall.
Several hours after the woman reported the purse and cash missing, the clerk and security guard confessed to taking the cash and splitting it evenly among themselves.
ORIGINAL: A woman traveling through Acadiana on her way to Maryland stopped at a convenience store in the Duson area early Friday morning and forgot her handbag in a restroom, according to Police Chief Kip Judice.
Judice said it happened when the woman put her purse on a hook behind the door of the stall, and forgot it.
The handbag, which contained approximately $4,500 in cash was not discovered missing until about 15 minutes after the woman left the store, Judice said.
“She told us it wasn’t until she got to the Breaux Bridge area that she discovered that her purse was missing, according to Judice.
She turned around and drove back to the store, but the purse and cash were gone, he said.
The woman contacted our office and we sent an officer to the store, Judice said.
“We questioned the clerk who initially told us that she was not aware of anyone turning in a purse.” he said.
Our officer then reviewed video footage and identified the lady who walked out with the wallet, Judice said.
“It was in fact the clerk who located the purse and gave it to the security guard who looked inside and located the cash.” Judice said.
Within a few hours, both the clerk and the security guard confessed that they had split the cash between themselves and then placed the purse and other contents in a trash canister, he said.
Additionally, Judice said the victim’s credit cards had been cut up in small pieces.
“Both the clerk and security officer have received a summons to appear in court for the theft.” Judice said.
The woman who lost the purse continued on her trip to Maryland after reporting the incident to police.
“When we contacted her to say we had located the money, she was relieved.” Judice said. “She’s in the military and on active duty but will travel back to Acadiana on Monday to pick up the cash,” Judice said.
WLFY
