Crime & Safety
Cops: Oak Forest Woman Accused of Stealing More Than $9,200 From Sandburg HS
The same cashier alerted police to a theft of about $10,000 about a month ago, and is now charged with two felonies in connection to this separate incident.
An Oak Forest woman who works as a cashier at Carl Sandburg High School is facing felony charges after she was accused Friday of stealing two cash deposits from the school in late August totaling $9,215.70, according to police.
Cheryl L. Becker, 54, of the 15600 block of Vista Drive in Oak Forest, is charged with two counts of felony theft.
Consolidated High School District 230 began an internal forensic audit of money handling after three women were accused of . Becker had alerted police that the women had taken the money, leading to all three being arrested that day and the money was recovered, according to a release from the Orland Park Police Department.
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In the course of the internal audit, the district found reason to believe Becker had taken cash amounts meant for bank depositing of $5,179.55 on Aug. 20, and $4,036.15 on Aug. 29, according to the release.
Some of the missing money has been recovered, but not all, and the district is still working on the forensic audit, Orland Park Police Cmdr. John Keating said Friday.
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“The audit has not been completed, but so far there is no indication of other money that is missing,” Keating said. “As part of her duties, (Becker) would handle money from the cafeteria, certain clubs in the school and other areas.”
Keating referred questions about specifically where the money came from and how long she worked for the school to District 230. Representatives from the district were not immediately available for comment Friday evening.
“Even if a penny is missing, they would prosecute anyone responsible who would break that trust,” Keating said. “That’s why we sought felony charges.”
Detectives do not suspect that other Sandburg employees were connected to these thefts, according to the release.
Becker was taken to the Bridgeview Courthouse Friday morning for a bond hearing where Judge Kerry Kennedy gave $15,000 bail for each of the two charges.
She is scheduled next to be in court on Oct. 26.
Editor’s note: A mug shot for Becker was not available Friday evening.
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—by Ben Feldheim, Editor of Orland Park Patch
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