$25,000 stolen from evidence room at a Kentucky sheriff’s office. State police investigate
Kentucky State Police are investigating a $25,000 theft from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, the sheriff’s office announced Tuesday.
The theft took place in the evidence room of the sheriff’s office. Four people had access to the cash in the evidence room, which is protected by a numerical key punch lock and a special key card, according to the sheriff’s office.
Sheriff Greg Speck does not have access to the evidence room, according to the sheriff’s office.
“Theft unfortunately can happen anywhere, businesses, banks, churches, charity organizations, schools, doctor’s offices and police and governmental agencies,” Speck said in a news release. “I’ve seen all of these over my career. It is extremely disappointing it happened here. Since discovering this, we have done everything we can to find the person responsible and see them prosecuted.”
The cash, which was seized in open drug investigations, had three levels of security: the main door, a locked secondary door and a locked container, the sheriff’s office said. Surveillance cameras are also used inside and outside the evidence room.
On Jan. 1, 2021, an audit of the evidence room was completed and it determined approximately $25,000 was missing. The sheriff’s office said a second audit was concluded roughly one month later and it confirmed the cash was missing.
The sheriff’s office contacted state police the next day requesting an investigator.
The cash was taken from more than one case, according to the sheriff’s office. No other evidence was tampered with.
The sheriff’s office has implemented new security measures in wake of the theft. It said the evidence room has a new evidence custodian. After the new custodian was hired in July of this year, the sheriff’s office conducted a third audit and found no other items unaccounted for.
The sheriff’s office said the goal of the investigation is to find the perpetrator and charge them. The sheriff’s office also said a special prosecutor has been added to the case and it will be up to them to prosecute a potential theft case based on the investigation by state police.
This story was originally published August 24, 2022 at 7:05 AM.
