In Northumberland County, a woman is accused of stealing nearly $300,000 from a sewer authority.
Police said Cynthia Lark, a former clerk for the Northumberland Sewer Authority, turned herself in to authorities Friday.
With his former employee facing theft and forgery charges, Jack Fasold said he's in complete disbelief. The president of the Northumberland Sewer Authority said it's extremely upsetting Cynthia Lark was allegedly able to steal so much for so long. "I'm surprised about anything and everything. I can't believe she was able to pull the wool over our eyes like she did, especially with the forgery," said Fasold.
State police said since 1994, the 48-year-old Lark worked as a clerk for the Northumberland Sewer Authority.
Sometime between 2000 and 2001, investigators said, Lark began transferring money from the authority's general account into its payroll account at the Northumberland National Bank.
They said she then wrote payroll checks to herself, forging the signatures of both Fasold and the authority's treasurer.
People who live in the borough of Northumberland said they feel cheated.
"It's not her money so whatever consequences she gets, she's deserving of it," said Ron Snyder.
Fasold said authority members had become suspicious about missing money, so they ordered an audit. The audit showed that from 2005 to the present, Lark wrote checks to herself to the tune of nearly $300,000.
Fasold said Lark was writing multiple checks a week for much more than she was supposed to be paid.
"Her salary would be around $365, but the amount she wrote on her checks would be $800, $900," said Fasold. "I went to authority practically every day, I talked with her. I thought I knew what was going on, but she just, I don't know how she could have done it."
The authority's president said the audit also discovered the authority is missing roughly $450,000.
Lark, who is no longer an employee of the Northumberland Sewer Authority, is scheduled to be back in court next week.
Police said Cynthia Lark, a former clerk for the Northumberland Sewer Authority, turned herself in to authorities Friday.
With his former employee facing theft and forgery charges, Jack Fasold said he's in complete disbelief. The president of the Northumberland Sewer Authority said it's extremely upsetting Cynthia Lark was allegedly able to steal so much for so long. "I'm surprised about anything and everything. I can't believe she was able to pull the wool over our eyes like she did, especially with the forgery," said Fasold.
State police said since 1994, the 48-year-old Lark worked as a clerk for the Northumberland Sewer Authority.
Sometime between 2000 and 2001, investigators said, Lark began transferring money from the authority's general account into its payroll account at the Northumberland National Bank.
They said she then wrote payroll checks to herself, forging the signatures of both Fasold and the authority's treasurer.
People who live in the borough of Northumberland said they feel cheated.
"It's not her money so whatever consequences she gets, she's deserving of it," said Ron Snyder.
Fasold said authority members had become suspicious about missing money, so they ordered an audit. The audit showed that from 2005 to the present, Lark wrote checks to herself to the tune of nearly $300,000.
Fasold said Lark was writing multiple checks a week for much more than she was supposed to be paid.
"Her salary would be around $365, but the amount she wrote on her checks would be $800, $900," said Fasold. "I went to authority practically every day, I talked with her. I thought I knew what was going on, but she just, I don't know how she could have done it."
The authority's president said the audit also discovered the authority is missing roughly $450,000.
Lark, who is no longer an employee of the Northumberland Sewer Authority, is scheduled to be back in court next week.
