The criminal mind is a creative place. In Ridgewood, New Jersey, a city employee has admitted to stealing $460,000 in quarters. He has been punished with five years of probation and must pay back $200,000 of the money he stole. According to the Daily News:
Authorities said the thefts occurred over the course of 25 months. They say Rica was not authorized to be in the room but would enter it and fill his pockets with money. They say he deposited the money — more than 1.8 million quarters — in his bank account.
So for two years nobody noticed that Thomas Rica was visiting the city’s parking meter collection room and stuffing his pockets with quarters. Nobody saw him and nobody heard the man jingling. Even his bank did not wonder why Mr. Rica was depositing stacks and piles and bags of quarters into his accounts. Imagine the wear and tear on this guy’s trouser pockets.
Rica was caught in the act last January and is just now receiving his sentencing. His is a precautionary tale for cities everywhere: people often succumb to temptation and take things that are not theirs, so be a little more careful where you store your quarters.
To read the article, click here.
2 Responses
“He has been punished with five years of probation and must pay back $200,000 of the money ($460,000) he stole.” And let that be a lesson to all you would-be thieves! If you get caught, you have to give some of it back (but get to keep a quarter mill).
I think depositing quarters isn’t too suspicious – if you, say, own a vending machine business or laundromat or anything, you’ll have tons of quarters. I’m shocked he doesn’t have to pay back all the money he stole!