Mar 30, 2006 7:23 pm US/Central
Bolingbrook Rocked By Theft Scandal
by Mike Puccinelli
BOLINGBROOK (CBS) ―
A scandal has rocked Bolingbrook, where nearly a dozen workers are accused of stealing from the village.
As CBS 2 West Suburban Bureau Chief Mike Puccinelli reports, some high-level town employees are losing their jobs.
Outside the Bolingbrook City Hall, the village flag flies high, but the mood inside is low.
"We're all extremely disappointed," said Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar. "We're disgusted."
The mayor and the village are dealing with one of the largest corruption scandals in the history of Bolingbrook. So far, at least 10 people are suspected of involvement.
"A few more names may come up," Claar said, "but at this point, I think we have the majority of people involved in the conspiracy."
The conspiracy was uncovered by a village Finance Department worker who found a suspicious receipt last week.
"I plan to meet with her this afternoon to formally thank her for being on top of this," Claar said.
While the mayor intends to meet with the whistle blower, the Bolingbrook police chief and his officers have been meeting with members of the village Public Works Department, nine of whom have either resigned, been suspended, or been fired.
Police say the suspects were not after money, they were after merchandise.
Investigators say the workers would use Bolingbrook purchase orders to buy items at area stores. But the items weren't purchased for public works, but for private perks.
Claar says people at all levels of the Public Works Department were involved, from foremen and superintendents on down.
The conspiracy lasted for at least three years and could involve more than a $100,000 worth of merchandise. So far, though, no one has been arrested.
"It's kind of like an onion," said Bolingbrook Police Chief Raymond McGury. "You peel back one layer, and there's another layer underneath."
Investigators say they will need two to three weeks to go through all the layers before they start making arrests.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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