Former Employee Charged With Felony Theft of Tools and Materials

A Wisconsin man faces felony charges for allegedly taking tools and materials from his employer, a manufacturer of industrial and home-use power systems and generators. According to The Sheboygan Press, law enforcement officials charged the 48-year-old man with taking company property from his employer’s facility while he worked there.

Company officials listed a range of items allegedly stolen during a period of about nine months. Included in the list were generators, a welder, a chain hoist, and a drill press. Company employees questioned by the county sheriff’s office claim to have seen the accused employee loading his truck with some of the items.

Accused Claims He Did Not Know It Was Against Company Policy

When questioned, the accused man’s response was that he did not know he needed to obtain permission to take company items home to work with or repair. According to court documents, he claimed he took a generator home to try out before purchasing one for his own use. He also said employees taking items home was not an uncommon occurrence. The former employee claimed that the welder and the drill press he took home required repairs; he disposed of the items when he couldn’t fix them.

Several of the items the man took home he returned, including a ladder, trailer, chain hoist, and some aluminum sheeting and tubing. Three generators he had taken home needed repairs according to the accused’s statements in court documents, but the items were “essentially brand new” according to law enforcement.

Class G Felony Theft May Bring Up to 25 Years of Jail Time

The company claims the total value of the items taken is $11,232. Theft in an amount of more than $10K and less than $100K qualifies for a charge of a Class G felony. If convicted, the man’s sentence may include up to 10 years’ jail time and a $25K fine.

An individual alleged to have committed an act of theft may find that any information he or she provides to law enforcement may help the prosecution. Self-incriminating statements made to investigators can make a conviction easier to obtain.