Woodruff Man Arrested and Charged After Confessing to Girl Scout Cookie Burglary
After $19,000 worth of Girl Scout cookies were stolen from a Spartanburg warehouse, police began a burglary investigation.
The cookies started arriving at Carey Moving and Storage on February 15th. A week later, employees began inventorying the cookies, and noticed 450 cases unaccounted for. That’s 5,000 boxes of Thin Mints and Shortbreads missing.
Brian Carey, owner of Carey Moving and Storage, had been working with the Girl Scouts to store and distribute cookies during cookie season for more than 40 years. He said his heart was broken that anyone would commit such a burglary, but he would help the Girl Scouts replace the cookies if necessary.
He also said that the burglary should not actually affect cookie sales, as the cases were extra inventory, and the Girl Scouts would not be charged for them.
Investigators reviewed invoices and surveillance video, and determined that 37-year-old Christopher Morton was a suspect. At the time, Morton was a truck driver for the business. He has since been fired.
On Sunday, March 3rd, Greenville County deputies found around 350 cases of Girl Scout cookies from the burglary behind an abandoned building on Haywood Road. When questioned, on Wednesday, March 6th, Morton confessed to stealing all 450 cases of cookies, then dumping them in Greenville.
Morton was charged with breach of trust more than $10,000. The cases were worth $18,900.
It is not clear yet if Morton has an attorney.
Stealing or Burglary Can Lead to Breach of Trust Charges
A breach of trust case can arise under a number of circumstances, often in an employment relationship, and can involve the theft of money or equipment, such as a car or laptop .
In these scenarios it is crucial to determine exactly what was taken as it is common for an employer to accuse the employee of taking more than what the employee actually took in the employers attempt to prosecute the employee.
If you are charged with stealing property or things of value from your employer, you must ensure that the charges you are being held accountable for are correct and accurate.
In order to convict you for breach of trust, the state must establish:
- there was a fiduciary relationship (a relationship of trust),
- that you took or failed to return something in violation of that trust, and that
- you intended to defraud the victim.
If your breach of trust charge is for more than $5,000: Upon conviction, you are guilty of a felony and must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than ten years.
The Attorneys at the Strom Law Firm Defend Against Burglary, Theft, Breach of Trust, and Other Criminal Charges
The Strom Law Firm has defended against criminal charges, including burglary, for 16 years. Based in Columbia, SC, the Strom Law Firm is licensed to practice throughout South Carolina, Georgia, and New York. If you have been arrested on burglary charges, theft, or breach of trust charges, no matter how serious, you will need strong criminal defense. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so contact the Strom Law Firm today for help. 803.252.4800.
