BEREA, Ky. (LEX 18) – Berea police arrested a manager at the local Family Dollar after an investigation led them to believe she was stealing cash to pay an inmate’s bail.
According to an arrest citation, Heather Philips, 32, was working as the store’s manager when over $800 went missing from the store. Initially, Philips told officers that she had given the deposit to a cashier to take and had returned with the deposit slip.
Further investigation found the cash bag, along with a blank deposit slip inside the suspect’s purse. Other store management told police that other deposits made by Philips were several days late.
The investigating officer discovered that Philips was communicating with a man, identified as Chad Gabbard, in the Madison County Detention Center. After listening to a recorded phone conversation, police say that Gabbard could be heard telling Philips to take money “out of the till” to get him out of jail.
Police say Philips can be heard on the tape saying, “I’m not stealing from that store to get you out, no more.”
After being taken into custody for theft charges, officers discovered a bag of what appeared to be methamphetamine in Philips’ shoe. She told officers she had forgotten to give the meth to Gabbard earlier.
Philips was charged with theft by unlawful taking $500 or more, first-degree trafficking controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence.
