Not every theft is a long-term scheme. There are cases in which large thefts happen within a day or the span of weeks. Armored trucks have been used in media often as the unfortunate victims of an elaborate heist. The story of Mr. Justin Eskridge shows a similar tale to that of a bank employee who embezzled money as a bank agent, a federal crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea for Mr. Justin Eskridge. Mr. Eskridge was employed as an armed service technician and delivered cash to different financial institutions, one of which being PNC Bank. Between December 2022 and January 2023, Mr. Eskridge allegedly embezzled $220,000.00. Eventually Mr. Eskridge allegedly admitted to his employer, Loomis who contracted with PNC, that he had taken cash during his employment. Loomis, the employer, was able to recover $144,000.00 in cash from Mr. Eskridge’s car. As part of a plea agreement Mr. Eskridge will pay the remaining balance to Loomis.
In summary, thefts can be short lived and still cause significant financial impacts. In a case like this, background checks and screening can aid in preventing experiencing thefts as an employer. Quicker reconciliation could have helped to prevent or mitigate this loss. Luckily the discrepancies were noticed by bank tellers spotting shortages when balancing ATM residuals, recovering over half of the claimed misappropriated amounts.
Armored truck company employee pleads guilty to stealing cash meant for ATMs. (2024, April 26). https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh/pr/armored-truck-company-employee-pleads-guilty-stealing-cash-meant-atms