Police: Gas Station Employee Steals over $17,000 on First Day of Work

A Connecticut gas station employee stole more than $17,000 worth of cigarettes, cash, and lottery tickets on his first day on the job, police said.

The incident took place in late January at a gas station in Hamden, Connecticut, when management hired a new overnight shift worker, and the suspect was working his first shift on his own, according to a Facebook post from the Hamden Police Department.

The store owner used an app on his cell phone to view the gas station surveillance cameras only to discover that his employee had left the scene.

“The store owner immediately responded to the store and ascertained that the new employee had stolen numerous items including lottery tickets, 89 boxes of cigarettes and money,” the Hamden Police Department said.

The store suffered a total loss of about $17,183 according to the police department statement.

Police say the suspect also managed to steal the folder containing his employment information— which also contained his personal information— and the gas station owner said he did not know the suspect’s name, making it difficult for the owner to identify him.

Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to call Officer Jay Bunnell of the Hamden Police Department Patrol Division at (203) 230-4030.