CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Detectives have arrested a former city employee accused of stealing more than $148,000 from the Parks and Recreation Department.
- Robert Carpenter arrested Friday morning
- He is accused of stealing from concessionaire and soccer league
- He resigned in late March when investigation began
Robert Carpenter, 58, was taken into custody Friday morning in Clearwater. He faces one count of scheming to defraud, which police say is a first-degree felony.
Carpenter is accused of taking cash payments from a concessionaire at Eddie C. Moore Complex and from a soccer league that rented fields from the city, in addition to cash thefts from two other sources or events.
The Clearwater Police Department said Carpenter was a recreation supervisor when "accounting discrepancies" were noticed earlier this year.
Police said he resigned March 28 as an internal audit and police investigation began.
The thefts date back as early as 2013, police said.
"Our detectives spent months piecing together this case," said Police Chief Dan Slaughter. "This is a supervisor who was supposed to be responsible for making sure taxpayers' money is not stolen. Now it is going to cost him."
Carpenter was hired by the city in August 1997. At the time of his resignation, he earned $52,699 annually.
"We are disappointed that one of our own employees engaged in such behavior," said City Manager Bill Horne. "We have hired a forensic auditor and will be implementing recommendations for putting into place the proper checks and balances."