Worker Skims Fees from Elma (N.Y.) Meadows GC

A part-time seasonal worker at the golf course has been charged with grand larceny after admitting to stealing about $1,000 from the green fees he collected while operating as a cashier. The arrest came after a tip to county parks officials from a customer who said the worker issued him a handwritten receipt instead of a computer-generated one.

A part-time seasonal worker at the Elma (N.Y.) Meadows Golf Course has been charged with grand larceny after admitting to skimming hundreds of dollars from the green fees he collected while operating as a cashier, the Buffalo (N.Y.) News reported.

Scott M. Catlin, 44, had been a seasonal worker with the Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation & Forestry for seven years until his arrest by sheriff’s detectives over the weekend, the News reported.

The arrest capped a month-long investigation by the sheriff’s department that came after a tip to county parks officials from a customer at Elma Meadows who said Catlin had issued him a handwritten receipt instead of a computer-generated one, as is the proper protocol, the News reported.

“Immediately upon receiving that tip, I started working with the Erie County sheriff’s to prove or disprove that,” Parks Commissioner Troy P. Schinzel said.

In his statement to detectives, Catlin admitted to stealing about $1,000, the News reported.

At this point, administration officials said, it is not yet known how long Catlin may have been siphoning money at the golf course. Sheriff’s officials said Catlin could face a higher felony charge if the extent of his thefts ends up exceeding $3,000, the News reported.

“What Troy is doing with his staff is going back and pulling lots more records to look and see if there’s anything out there that seems amiss,” said Deputy Budget Director Timothy Callan.

Schinzel is working with the staff at the golf course to tighten up procedures both for the staff and customers. He also may seek to purchase surveillance cameras, the News reported.