On January 17th, 2023, officers responded to a Home Depot after reports of ongoing employee theft involving a 19-year-old worker. This is where everything begins. The manager calmly laying out the numbers, but you can already feel the tension building in the room. [laughter] >> So, we have two situations. Which one are you here for? >> Uh, the money. >> Yes, you're with me. >> The parking lot. >> Okay. So, she's admitted sign and activated she at least $3,000. >> You guys have the video footage of it. >> Every every single >> Yeah, they did all the transactions. We actually thought it was more about five, but she admitted to three, but I had we have her back here. Um, we I have to notify her we're terminating her and I would like to prosecute and I would like to walk around and cuss. >> I don't know. We'll see what we we're going to do here. I'm uh but most likely gonna leave. >> We're gonna go through this door so you're not collecting my whole place. >> These rights I just explained to you. >> Okay. So when when did this start taking place? Do you remember? If you had to take an educated guess like was it like a month ago, couple weeks ago? >> Few weeks ago. >> Few weeks ago. Okay. The officer's tone stays patient, but there's a seriousness under every question. This isn't small theft. He needs the truth. >> And so, what were we doing a few weeks ago? >> How much? Okay. >> Are you a cashier? >> Customer service. >> Customer service. So you're around the cashiers area area. So you do take returns and take people you check people out and stuff like that. Okay. It's been going on for a few weeks now. How how are we doing this? Like explain to me so I can better better understand how how we went from working here to slightly taking some cash out at at a time. It was a thought process. I just did it. >> How were we doing it though? >> I register. >> Were we checking someone out when we were doing it or were you just randomly go to the register, open it up, take out? >> When she admits it was $100 every time, you can hear the officer pause. That's the moment he realizes this goes far deeper than she first claimed. Were you taking out like $20 at a time or $100 at You were taking $100 out at a time every single time. Okay. So, every single time you did it, you were taking money $100 out every single time. Okay. And how much would you say you you took from the tills? Over 2,000 >> over 2,000. >> Have you ever >> What did you do with the cash after you took the every time you took the hundred out? >> What were you using it on? >> I was going to use it from >> What were you going to buy? Buy her. >> She's just s and doesn't need thought processors. >> Her voice breaks a little and when she mentions taking money for her sick grandmother, the room shifts. It's still a crime, but you can feel the human side. >> I got you. So, you're taking the money for your grandma so you can spend it on her. Does your grandma take care of you? >> And you thought it'd be nice to kind of treat her. >> It wasn't a treat. She was just sick. >> She's sick. So, you're helping paying for medical bills or something or Yeah. Okay. Is there anything else that you can remember about when you took these took the $100 at a time or you taking them let's let's focus on the money now. Were you taking like 20s or were you taking a $100 bill? So, it was a $100 bill every time. Okay. And you said it's up to 2,000. and you took over $2,000. I know this is hard for you, Destiny, but I I need a verbal. Okay. Or headshake or something. Okay. >> New message. >> Is there anything that you want to add to what you told me? >> No. And was it Let me ask you this. When you were taking the money from the tills, was it only at the cashiers area? Did you go to any other tills and take them or >> I was just but where the the department I work in. >> So you just had customer service then? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Can I can I add something? Can I ask her a question? >> Absolutely. >> Okay. So we just talked a few minutes ago, right? We talked about you taking the cash from the registers. It was more than $100 each time, right? So last night we you talked about yesterday what you took from the registers, right? was over $1,000, right? Okay. He needs to know that. >> Oh, I I >> know you didn't understand when he said hundreds. >> Oh, so you were taking So, >> sorry. >> Let me let me break it down for you. So, let's say this is my my till right up at customer service. I open it up and I took I'm just taking $100 out. >> No, I took more than >> You took more. Did you? Now, it was happening every time you did it. >> Yes. So you took up to you took all the hundreds out of the tills. Are you telling me? And that would add up to whatever amount that you took out of there. >> Do you remember what the fir the first time you did it? Do you remember what the total amount was that you took out? >> No. >> What do you remember any at any time how much you took out every time you went to the till? >> There usually is likeunds in there. So two to four. >> Two to four. So, we're talking couple hundred dollars every time we took money out from the cashiers. Okay. >> So, in our discussion, we always we talked about the dollar amount, right? And she wrote a written statement of $3,000, right? >> Okay. That's important to tell them. Okay. >> The manager explains how shortages kept appearing. The scale finally clicks. This wasn't one mistake. It was repeated, calculated. Do we have any of this money? Did it go into your bank account? Anything like that? You just kept all the cash. >> Do you still have any of that cash left? Anything that you've taken from Home Depot? >> You spent all of it. >> I would give it back if I had it. >> I got you. And to be more descriptive, what were we spending it on for grandma? >> She I was just paying some of your stuff off. >> I'm sorry, what? just paying some of her things off my >> What kind of What kind of things were you paying off? >> I don't know what bills specifically. I we've heard my uncle and my uncle doesn't do anything for >> Okay. >> And some of it some bills and then we've been waiting my uncle my grandfather passed away a year ago. So I've also wanted to help with the headstone for that too. >> Okay. They were helping pay for the headstones, the medical bills, the bills and headston. >> Okay. >> But mostly the bills. >> So this has been going on for a while. >> Um taking copious amounts of money. >> We have statements for you. We have video for you. Um we have, you know, just a packet for you that CIT puts together. So once we get um two or three hits on this, we send up this temp investigation team. >> They go in, they pull all the video, they pull everything that they need and they send you a pattern and then we go in and we um >> investigate it a little bit more. >> So she is young um cuz she was 19, >> so she's not a minor. Um do you do the diversion program >> uh for stuff like this? No. >> Okay. >> This is this is a felony amount. I'll be honest. >> That's what I thought. I just thought >> she's going to probably leave in handcuffs. Well, that's what she should leave. >> Yeah. Absolutely. No, that's what happens when you you steal cash from your business, >> you know, >> and and her not being truthful. She was truthful with us and not truthful with you. That's why. >> And I'll read all the statements. I put your hand down. All right. So, go ahead and from the best without looking through the folder and everything like that cuz I'll look through that. We'll go through that together in a little bit. But from the best of your knowledge, just tell me from the the start dates until what led up to today. the loss prevention officer describing her pacing, checking, then grabbing the bills. This is the moment the case becomes undeniable. >> Okay, so about I'd say a week and a half ago, I received an email from the central investigation team in regard to Destiny. We had cash shortages. Um competitive, you know, every other day we had cash shortages. So once they did their investigation, they determined that Destiny could be seen clearly be seen um on camera popping open the register with a cash boy and removing cash, placing it in her pocket. Um at that point um they put the packet together. Um we made an appointment to come and see her today. We sat down with her, discussed exactly what happened. She admitted to taking $3,000 worth of money from the registers, stated it was for her grandmother. Um she's written a statement. Um I've witnessed I have a statement and so does um the other witness and that's what happened. >> Okay. And you've never witnessed her or anything like that. Her taking actual money. >> No, not in not live. Just from video. >> Just on the video. Okay. And to your knowledge, she's been taking large sums of cash cash every time. >> Yes, sir. Yesterday we had a $1,200 shortage. And when I spoke to her about that today, she said yes, she did indeed. whatever information that you can provide from the beginning to the end up to today uh just go ahead with it. >> Absolutely. So I was I proceeded to start looking at video start seeing what was going on um and then I was able to observe today um yesterday's transactions. So yesterday's transactions um um basically was the individual in question was at the register. she would start pacing back and forth, look around, look left, look right, then proceed to start um accessing the register without having a customer present. That's automatically red flag because there's no reason to touch the register if there's no one in front of you. >> Correct. >> Uh she proceeded to then uh with no explanation, open the register, uh reach in, grab um several uh high dollar bills, place them in her palm, and put it into the pocket of her apron or her front right pocket. Um this happened twice yesterday. Now uh part of that journal that that register gives you gives you an unexplained total dollar amount of how much money is missing from the registers. She impacted two different registers in the in her uh yesterday shift. Um one of them was $533 I believe and the second one was $1,2 change. So roughly yesterday she took about $1,800. >> If I had to guess, I would say approximation. Yes. North of 1,500, less than 2,000. >> So let me I'm just going to ask you a couple more questions and then I'm going to make a phone call. Okay. I'm going to look at some footage >> and then we're going to proceed from there. Okay. So [clears throat and cough] you on on multiple occasions, okay, it seems like at least five different days, okay, you were seen on camera taking multiple Yeah. plethora of money from the tills. Okay. And I'm just I need to get an exact dollar amount. And someone who takes cash, they go home and count it. Okay, I know you went home and counted it. That's There's no if hands or buts about that. >> You did? >> Cuz you just didn't take the money and then go, "Oh, I'm just going to spend this." So, I need you with your to the best of your knowledge to just give me the best estimated number of how much money that you took. Are we talking like $3,000? >> How much? Three. >> Three. >> Cuz from what I'm seeing, we're talking more than that. >> I don't I >> mean, alone yesterday, you took about $1,800. Okay. I think you know that she went home and counted it probably last night, right? Okay. So, every other night, how much? And I know it's been months, but if you had to take the best guess possible, I mean, cuz one in one time, one one shift, [clears throat] you took 1,800. Okay. So, how much money are we talking about here? >> That was just the one shift that the first time it was under $1,000 in the >> That was the first time you ever took over a,000? >> Yes. That's the Cuz there's never been that much in the toe before. >> Okay. But if again, give me a ballpark number other than 3,000. I >> over four. >> Over four. Maybe more towards five possibly. >> Probably >> probably >> when she quietly admits it might be closer to 5,000. You can feel the officer's disappointment. Honesty came late. >> Okay. Is it over five? Are you sure? You're 100% sure you did not take over $5,000. >> I'm I'm pretty sure. >> Okay. I'm not trying to push it, but >> but you know I you know that I know the you know the amount. Okay. I know that kind of sound a little bit confusing, >> but >> I know [snorts] you know the amount of money that you took. It might not be the exact dollar, but >> So we're we're talking about five you took over well up to $5,000. Is that correct? >> Okay. [snorts] I'm um do you want to say anything to them about what you did about you know >> can I have her amend her statement written statement >> three but I I really didn't count it to the dollar >> you want to amend your statement and add five in there instead? >> Yes. >> Yeah, it's fine. I know you're not going to know the exact dates, but do you remember like what day of the week it was when you did it at least or anything like that? >> No. >> No, just whenever you were working. >> Not every shift. >> Not every shift, >> but just when you when you thought the clo the coast was clear and you were able to get into the tail without anyone seeing. >> Okay. So, if you haven't figured it out already, you are going to be placed under arrest. Okay. So, we are going to head down to the jail. You will be able to bond out. Okay. I'm um So, what I'm going to have you do is you're going to walk out to my car with me. Okay. I won't cuff you in front of everybody out of respect. >> Despite everything, the officer gives her dignity, walking her out without cuffs inside. A rare moment of compassion in a tough situation. You're being pretty honest with me from the beginning and I take that I take that with a great amount of respect. Okay? So, you respect me, I respect you. Now, we try to run or get funny or do anything. >> I I have I have this cool Batman utility belt where I can use a lot of things that I don't want to use. Okay. >> It's fun. >> So, what we're going to do is I'm going to have you going to walk in front of me. Okay. >> All right. You have nothing else in your pockets, right? >> No. >> Okay. >> What's up? >> Uh, leave that in your pocket. I'm talking like knives or anything like that. Nothing in your bra, anything like that. >> All right. Easiest way in is to sit down butt first, then pull your feet in. Okay. >> Bumping. Hey, >> I understand. I'm I'm a big guy, too. >> The woman was charged with grand theft of up to $5,000. Thanks for watching today's video. If you haven't already, please like and subscribe for more of our content.