By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
SECURITY footage showed a worker at a local automotive services company taking funds out of the cashier’s drawer and pocketing it, according to one of the establishment's managers.
Anthonique Bowleg, Alice Murphy, Bradlisha Bullard and Shalesia Bannister are accused of collectively stealing nearly $t00,000 from Battery & Tyre Specialists between 2016 and 2018.
Prosecutors alleged that Bannister stole $182,372.38 by reason of her employment between January 2016 and March 2018. They further alleged that she attempted to launder $182,372.43 between those dates.
Police also accused Bowleg of stealing $111,498.55 between April 2017 and March 2018 and laundering $111,498.49 between those dates.
Meanwhile, Murphy is alleged to have stolen by reason of her employment and laundered $33,208.13 between July 2017 and March 2018.
Bullard also allegedly stole $168,246.46 and laundered that amount between January 2016 and February 2018.
Prosecutors say the women purchased numerous designer items with the money they allegedly obtained illegally.
When their trial before Magistrate Samuel McKinney resumed yesterday, Darren McCartney, a manager at Battery & Tyre Specialists, said after noticing “discrepancies” he and another supervisor “pulled data” from their points of sales system and “ran some surveillance footage” which concerned the defendants.
Yesterday, that footage was shown in court. Mr McCartney said in the first video, dated March 12, 2018, Bannister could be seen removing cash from the drawer and stashing it by a monitor before taking it and putting it in her back pocket.
In another video, dated March 9, 2018, he said Bannister could be seen removing cash from the drawer, placing it on the counter and eventually putting it in her pocket.
In a third three-minute-long video, Mr McCartney said Bannister could be seen taking money out of the drawer, placing it in an envelope before collecting her personal belongings and leaving the cashier’s cage.
During the hearing, Mr McCartney also showed a video with Murphy and Bannister, which he said displayed “money appearing to be removed from the cashier’s drawer.”
When he was cross-examined by Bannister’s attorney, Mr McCartney admitted it was not unusual for a cashier to place money in an envelope or change cheques for managers or other senior employees on occasion.
However, he said, it would be unusual for a cashier to leave their cage with the funds as the company’s policy required the senior staff to pick up the cash from the cashier’s cage.
When attorney Alfred Gray, who represents Murphy, cross-examined Mr McCartney, he also said he could not say if a manager was in the back room waiting when the cashier took the envelope with the money and left the cashier’s cage.
The case continues on November 8.
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