for the News-Tribune
FROSTBURG — After a seven-week-long investigation, the Allegany County Combined Criminal Investigation Unit (C3I) has charged a total of seven individuals involved in the theft of text books from the Frostburg State University Book Store.
Among those charged were five persons from Frostburg, one from Mt. Savage, and one from Barton.
The theft was first reported to the Frostburg State University Police after employees of the book store noticed discrepancies involving a student employee who had an unusual amount of brand new text books returned for cash.
A joint investigation with the FSU Police and the C3I Unit determined that the student employee, 22 year old Jared Adam Bridges, had enlisted the aid of several friends in the theft scheme. He would provide these individuals with brand new text books from the book store. These individuals would then return the books and receive full value for them in cash. Bridges and the other subjects would then share the cash received for their returns.
Over 200 books, valued at over $32,000.00 were taken and returned in this manner.
Bridges, of Windy Ridge Drive in Mt. Savage, has been charged with felony theft, conspiracy to commit felony theft, and conspiracy to commit felony theft scheme.
Also charged were:
Lauren Marie Broadwater, 18, of Upper Consol Road, Frostburg, charged with misdemeanor theft, conspiracy to commit misdemeanor theft, and conspiracy to commit misdemeanor theft scheme.
Andrew James Delaney, 19, of East Main Street, Frostburg, charged with felony theft, conspiracy to commit felony theft, and conspiracy to commit felony theft scheme.
Brian Robert Kasekamp, 22, of East Main Street, Frostburg, charged with felony theft, conspiracy to commit felony theft, and conspiracy to commit felony theft scheme.
Ashlee Rose Lane, 21, of High Street, Barton, charged with felony theft,
conspiracy to commit felony theft, and conspiracy to commit felony theft scheme.
Tyler James Miller, 19, of Grandview Drive, Frostburg, charged with misdemeanor theft, conspiracy to commit misdemeanor theft, and conspiracy to commit misdemeanor theft scheme.
Nicholas James Diamond, 18, of Armstrong Avenue, Frostburg, charged with felony theft, conspiracy to commit felony theft, and conspiracy to commit felony theft scheme.
All the defendants were charged via a criminal summons, and are free pending their next court appearance.
"Frostburg State University is grateful to the alert bookstore employees who acted on their suspicions and brought the case to police attention," said Liz Medcalf, director of news and media services at FSU.
"We are also grateful to C31, which has been investigating the thefts and the alleged network involved.
"FSU is in the process of reviewing its processes and policies to make sure they are as tight as is practically possible to make a theft of this kind impossible to repeat. The University has also informed all the necessary state and University System of Maryland officials of this issue and our response to it."
FROSTBURG, Md. —
