City customer billing services employee charged with grand theft
A city of Cape Coral employee in the Customer Billing Services Office has been arrested in connection with the theft of $320 from a cash drawer at the Billing Services office on Pine Island Road.
Angela Puzio, 47, of 116 N.W. 15th Street, was charged with grand theft after her activities were captured on video surveillance, officials said.
Puzio was working as a cashier at the billing office at 1490 N.E. Pine Island Road on Oct. 4. At 8:01 a.m., Puzio took an $80 cash payment from a customer for their utility bill. Later, she received another cash payment of $240 from a second customer for their utility bill. Shortly after receiving the second payment, Puzio voided both transactions from the system and removed the cash from the drawer, officials said.
On Oct. 8, Puzio was approached by her supervisors who had been alerted of the incident. Puzio told them that she only borrowed the money and never intended to take it outright, officials said.
Puzio immediately was suspended with pay pending the outcome of a pre-disciplinary hearing. No customer accounts were affected by Puzio’s alleged actions.
Detective Joshua Silko met with Puzio on Thursday at her residence. Puzio voluntarily accompanied Silko to the Cape Coral Police Department to provide a sworn statement. Puzio confessed to taking the money out of the cash drawer to cover an overdraft check in her account, officials said, adding she told investigators that she intended to pay back the money as soon as she returned to work.
Based upon the evidence and her statement, Puzio was arrested and charged with grand theft more than $300/Less than $5,000.
Puzio has been employed with the city since April 23, 2007. She earned approximately $32,000 per year.
Source: City of Cape Coral