Pink Collar Theft in Pennsylvania VFD

The treasurer of a volunteer fire department in Pennsylvania is facing criminal charges for stealing over $90,000 from the department. Patricia Susan Tuttle, 41, has been charged with forgery and theft by unlawful taking following a lengthy investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police.

The Daily Review has an unusually detailed description of the way the funds from the Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Department were stolen, as well as how the investigation unfolded. Among the more interesting points in the interesting article:

• Tuttle was hired in 2021 to serve as secretary and treasurer
• Her responsibilities included “paying bills, making deposits, reconciling bank statements, and making purchases via debit card.”
• The chief told PSP that the annual audit disclosed that the department’s bank account had been reduced to zero.
• Tuttle had falsified bank statements, removing ATM withdrawals from the statements.
• $77,630 in ATM withdrawals in $500 increments had been removed.
• When the chief confronted Tuttle she initially claimed she withdrew the funds to put it in a high-yield fund, but was unable to document that.
• She provided the department with a check for $76,200, and an apology for “removing the funds” and further that “she has sought counseling for mental health, and she has enrolled in a theft impetus control prevention class.”
• Upon further investigation it was discovered that she used the department credit card for personal purchases, forged the signatures of two department officials on two separate occasions in order to request “an extension of the loan agreement to allow for an interest only payment and a change in the payment date,” which in turn prevented the department from discovering the lack of funds sooner.

The totals Tuttle is accused of stealing are as follows:

• $3,184.36 in unauthorized debit purchases
• $77,630 in ATM withdrawals
• $1,913 regarding cash sales of equipment not deposited in the bank account
• $7,840 regarding cash paid for filled swimming pools.

Here is more on the story.

And here is the link to Kelly Paxton’s Pink Collar Crime web site.