An NY Meter mechanic felt as though he wasn’t getting paid enough, so instead of getting a second job as most of us would do, guess what he did? Stole coins! Hit the jump to see how much in coins were stolen!
For the past eight years, a New York parking meter mechanic, has been giving himself an extra boost in his weekly income.
James Bagarozzo received a 2 1/2 year sentence after being convicted of stealing coins during his employment. The meter mechanic spent the first half of his work days from 2003-2011, raiding 70-75 meters daily, stealing the coins that filled them.
“Over more than eight years, he brought home $210,000 worth of quarters — 10,500 pounds of them — which he dutifully rolled and packed in $500 boxes to be exchanged for cash at banks on his lunch hour”
Prosecutors stated that instead of fixing the machines he was sent to repair, he broke them. He made it so that the coins would fall into the top of the machine instead of dropping down into the collection canister.
Bagarazzo blamed his theft on a gambling problem and an “illness that he believed would kill him before he built a nest egg for his family”.
Judge Richard Arcara responded to the verdict by stating:
“With all its problems, the last thing the city of Buffalo needs is employees who don’t do what they’re paid to do”.
I will for sure be doing a double-take every time I see the meter-man at any one’s car from now on!
Via Chron
