Casino Employee Faces Charges For Stealing Money From Cash Register

Many people who are recovering from an addiction can tell you that they knew things were getting bad because they got arrested for drunk or drugged driving, drug possession, or a low-level financial crime such as theft.  What happens after such an event depends less on the nature of the crime and more on the policies of the local criminal justice system and on whether the defendant has the resources to hire a criminal defense lawyer.  If someone steals money or merchandise to fund an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or gambling, then the most effective solution is to treat the addiction, not simply to punish the person for stealing.  Especially in the old days, “tough on crime” was the preferred stance, so a lot of defendants went to jail for a minor crime and came out still addicted and with a criminal record, making them even more vulnerable to harsh penalties in the future.  More recently, pretrial diversion programs have been effective at helping first-time offenders avoid getting caught up in the criminal justice system.  If you are being accused of theft for the first time, contact a Pittsburgh theft crimes lawyer.

What Is Theft By Taking?

Theft by taking is when you take someone else’s property without that person’s consent.  It differs from fraud, robbery, and burglary in that it does not involve deception, intimidation, or unlawful entry; in other words, it is the most harmless way to take someone else’s property.  It differs from retail theft in that retail theft, also known as shoplifting, occurs when a customer steals merchandise from a store without paying for it; all other manifestations of simple theft are theft by taking.

The grading of theft by taking and the resulting penalties vary according to the value of the property stolen.  If the stolen property is valued at $2,000 or more, then theft by taking is a third-degree felony.  It carries a maximum fine of $15,000 and a maximum prison sentence of seven years.

In the News

Owen Kiggans is facing charges for theft by taking, after he allegedly stole more than $4,000 from the cash register at Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, where he worked as a bartender.  His work supervisors became suspicious when, on multiple occasions, his cash register had the incorrect amount of money at the end of his shift.  His managers requested police surveillance of Kiggans’ register, and the police saw him steal $300.  When officers confronted Kiggans, he said that, over a period of time, he had stolen several thousand dollars because he has a gambling addiction.  He estimated that, in the past month, he had stolen over $4,000, but the total amount that he stole between December 2022 and July 2023 exceeded $10,000.

Contact Gary E. Gerson About Theft Crime Cases

A criminal defense lawyer can help you prevent your theft case from becoming a bigger deal than it should be.  Contact the law offices of Gary E. Gerson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about your case.

Source:

cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/rivers-casino-bartender-theft-charges/