Dane Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 A 49-year-old Maineville woman was indicted Monday by the Warren County grand jury after being accused of stealing $75,000 from Kings Island. The indictment alleges that Darlene Powers, between May and July of 2006, used her position as a cash control supervisor at the amusement park in Mason to falsify bank records indicating she made deposits that she never made, Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel said. Kings Island officials discovered the missing money after an audit, Hutzel said. Powers is charged with grand theft and tampering with evidence. She worked for Kings Island for 15 years and held her position as a cash control supervisor for about eight years Courtesy of Tiffany Y. Latta of Dayton Daily News. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kwindshawne Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 sad..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browntggrr Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 Well, she is in deep doo doo. It is too bad that people feel they have to go to this level to make themselves a better life. I sincerely hope that if she has a family, that they are affected as little as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fo-Shame Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 She stole a lot more money than that. When I was in Food Service Loss Prevention (2005) she claimed money was missing from money bags that I personally counted before turning into money room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browntggrr Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 ^ And this is the proper place to make that kind of announcement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenageninja Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 That's probably just 75,000 this year I would imagine. How can someone think they can get away with this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cody Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 People to seem to do stuff when they think they can get away with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKIVortex Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 I work in Retail and you wouldn't believe the # of employees I have seen get fired for stealing stuff, and stealing money. They are camera's everywhere they may not get caught the first time, but they will will eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WooferBearATL Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 WOW, things must really have gotten lax in the Cage. The rob people and the people that worked in the cage were always operated just like a normal bank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 An indictment is an action by a grand jury that indicates there is probable cause to proceed to a trial. It is not evidence of guilt. In the United States of America, there is a presumption of innocence. The prosecution must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the woman is guilty. The woman is entitled to a trial before a jury of her peers. Unless, of course, as often happens, she pleads guilty or plea bargains. Dane and Tiffany Y. Latta, the reporter, carefully used the word alleges. That means accuses or asserts. And if this woman IS guilty, and the grand jury has reason to believe that that can be proven, she probably took a lot more than is alleged. People often get by with taking stuff. . . for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterville Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 WOW, things must really have gotten lax in the Cage. The rob people and the people that worked in the cage were always operated just like a normal bank. Tangentally, this reminds me of an incident I had at the park this summer. I was playing midway games, and needed to get change for a $20. The games associate, instead of digging into an apron, proceeded to unlock the lock box on the counter, reach in, and make change out of the lock box money. From the persons shirt they may have been some kind of games lead, but I thought only the cash control 'rob' crew had the keys to those lock boxes. So anyway they hand me my change, then put the balls on the counter, then flip the tray in the lockbox, even though the top was empty. This was at what in carnival parlance is a center game, they had players on all four sides, the jointee working the game was very overwhelmed (1 person), it seemed odd that they would open up a lockbox under those conditions when the wrong kind of crowd could have easily jumped the employee and cleaned out the lockbox, and then would have had the key to hit the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 So anyway they hand me my change, then put the balls on the counter, then flip the tray in the lockbox, even though the top was empty. This was at what in carnival parlance is a center game, they had players on all four sides, the jointee working the game was very overwhelmed (1 person), it seemed odd that they would open up a lockbox under those conditions when the wrong kind of crowd could have easily jumped the employee and cleaned out the lockbox, and then would have had the key to hit the others. Come on now, security may not be perfect, but if such an event DID happen, security and park police would be on them faster than flys on ****. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcia Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 Dear friends I think this girl should have known better for stealing that money she not only stole from the park but she stole from the visitors who come to the park every day during the summer months and weekends during the spring and fall seasons. Marcia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 I bet this happens all the time at KI and every park, big or small. $75k was a LOT, but I bet hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in money, merch, and food are all stolen by employees on any given day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 I bet this happens all the time at KI and every park, big or small. $75k was a LOT, but I bet hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in money, merch, and food are all stolen by employees on any given day. Sadly I've got to agree. I'm not saying that there is no security on the cash handeling employees, but there are certain positions that if you wanted it badly enough, you could probably get it pretty easily. Just cant get to greedy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 It's not Kings Island, it's EVERYWHERE. You guys know that I work at Best Buy, and that company does NOT trust its employees at all. They have have to search our coats as we leave, and the loss prevention person has to go through women's purses. Good reason too -- in my five years with that company, I have seen probably 50 employees fired and prosecuted for shoplifting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kwindshawne Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 I worked at Wherehouse in California-same deal...they checked our purses before we left as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 When I worked in food (mind you 2002, may be different now). Never checked a thing. Every now and then a sup would ask you to put your wallet or purse in a locker, but there was never any followup, especially at the end of the shift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WooferBearATL Posted August 21, 2007 Share Posted August 21, 2007 When I worked in food (mind you 2002, may be different now). Never checked a thing. Every now and then a sup would ask you to put your wallet or purse in a locker, but there was never any followup, especially at the end of the shift. That's sad. Then it changed very fast after Paramount took over. When I was there, the Supervisors and the Cashier Foremen monitored things very closely. We could audit tills and money belts at any time and if there was suspected improprieties we would have people "shopped." I think one of the things that prevented a lot of theft was that everyone was very much a family in the different stands and areas. Heck, everyone worked together all day and went out and partied most the night until they had to be in to play softball and then work. <G> I think that having such close relationships leads to a more honest situation. Doesn't seem that way any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deb Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 I worked at Wal-Mart for nearly 4 years. We had shoplifting on a daily basis, from employees. I worked at the courtesy desk (took returns) and when I'd do the evening cleaning, I'd almost always find an empty DVD or CD case, stuffed into a corner somewhere. I know it was an employee, because of 2 things: 1. only employees are permitted in that area; and 2. when it's found on the floor stolen, the employee would bring it to me to send to claims. This went on the whole time I worked at the courtesy desk. To be honest, I was kinda afraid they were gonna think I stole it (I still feel bad about forgetting to return a borrowed pencil in 1st grade....) and I'd be terminated because of it. I had never even been asked about any of those claims. I found out why from a friend who works there still after I had quit... One of the managers had been stealing and keeping gift cards. She had it down to a science... I could spot a lying customer from the opening of a door, but she had me fooled. She'd been with the company for about 5 years, and had stolen about $70,000 in goods and gift cards in the time she had worked there. The store managers KNEW she was doing it, and they had been keeping tabs on her (silently) for a LONG time. Needless to say, she was prosecuted and banned from EVERY Wal-Mart in the world. I have a philosophy about why NOT to steal. If you can't afford to BUY it, you don't need it. (this includes credit cards...) deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A_Titanic_Mess Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 OMG...I can't believe that Darlene was stealing money! This is too much. Wonder how much time she is going to do? She spent years locked in the KI cage, now it sounds like she might be facing some time in the Warren County cage! I am just shocked by all of this. She is one of the last people I would have ever suspected doing something like this. A 49-year-old Maineville woman was indicted Monday by the Warren County grand jury after being accused of stealing $75,000 from Kings Island. The indictment alleges that Darlene Powers, between May and July of 2006, used her position as a cash control supervisor at the amusement park in Mason to falsify bank records indicating she made deposits that she never made, Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel said. Kings Island officials discovered the missing money after an audit, Hutzel said. Powers is charged with grand theft and tampering with evidence. She worked for Kings Island for 15 years and held her position as a cash control supervisor for about eight years Courtesy of Tiffany Y. Latta of Dayton Daily News. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 Again, just because she is indicted does not NECESSARILY mean she is guilty. Unless and until she either pleads guilty or is found guilty by a court/jury, she is entitled to a presumption of innocence. Am I saying she didn't do it? No. I am, however, saying it's not really fair to rush to judgment based on an allegation...even if the grand jury has said there is probable cause to believe she committed the acts in question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Out on bail: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...0362/1056/COL02 Bill from Pepsi????? Besides, she was supposedly forging DEPOSIT slips. What does a bill have to do with this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Out on bail: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...0362/1056/COL02 Bill from Pepsi????? Besides, she was supposedly forging DEPOSIT slips. What does a bill have to do with this? Hmmm... I think there is a problem with Pepsi's logo, it almost looks like the Coca-Cola logo. Weird. If I were Coke I would definately sue for logo and taste infringement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 True enough, but why would someone in the money room have access to a Coke/Pepsi or even RC bill...and how would that trip them up when the alleged scheme was forging deposit slips? This maketh NO sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 True enough, but why would someone in the money room have access to a Coke/Pepsi or even RC bill...and how would that trip them up when the alleged scheme was forging deposit slips? This maketh NO sense. The article seems reletively uninformed/misinformed. Seems to be a trend within media about Kings Island. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 And why is the prosecutor talking to the press? This just doesn't seem very smart... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KickingAllOverTown Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Tangentally, this reminds me of an incident I had at the park this summer. I was playing midway games, and needed to get change for a $20. The games associate, instead of digging into an apron, proceeded to unlock the lock box on the counter, reach in, and make change out of the lock box money. From the persons shirt they may have been some kind of games lead, but I thought only the cash control 'rob' crew had the keys to those lock boxes. So anyway they hand me my change, then put the balls on the counter, then flip the tray in the lockbox, even though the top was empty. This was at what in carnival parlance is a center game, they had players on all four sides, the jointee working the game was very overwhelmed (1 person), it seemed odd that they would open up a lockbox under those conditions when the wrong kind of crowd could have easily jumped the employee and cleaned out the lockbox, and then would have had the key to hit the others. If the person operating the game had a different shirt, the were and area manager, as supervisors and associates both wear the ref jerseys. Games Managers carry keys to the Bubbles (what you referred to as a lock box). I'm assuming the person who did this was not wearing an apron, or had an apron, but ran out of change, and rather than make you, the guest, wait while he went to get change, he just used some from the bubble. And I'm pretty darn sure no one has ever been attacked while opening a bubble, and even if they were, i'm sure others would notice and do something about it. I don't really feel it's something to be overly concerned about. The following things, however, could be indicators or someone stealing: Any place with a register (Food, Games or Merch) The associate charges you an amount different than posted, and does NOT ring up the transaction on the register. Any game with a 'bubble' (or lock box as you called it)- The associate working the game should give you exact change. Example: you give thema 20, they give you 4 5's; you give them a ten, they give you two 5's, etc. They should then have you place the money you are paying into the bubble. If they do not give you exact change back, or do not have you place the money in the bubble, something suspicious could be occuring. Granted, not every time this happens, it means the associate is doing something wrong, but if youdo witness it, continue the transaction as normal, and then when you are done, please find a security guard or supervisor and let them know. It will then be investigated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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