Teen Home Depot Employee Caught in 3-Month Cash Stealing Scam

This is 19-year-old Annie Alexander. On December 20th, 2024, Boynton Beach Police responded to a local Home Depot after receiving a call about an employee involved in theft. Police learned Annie has been taking cash from her register, hiding it under the computer keyboard,

and then sliding it into her Home Depot apron. She has been caught by loss prevention on surveillance video on at least four different occasions over two months, stealing almost $1,500. Watch as police conduct their investigation and let us know what you think in the comments below.

Where's the LP office?

That's the break room right there.

But this is the break room.

No, that's the break room.

That's the other break room?

I'll be here.

Maybe conference room. Is that the break room? Maybe conference room. I don't know.

Okay, go ahead.

I'm just walking through everything.

Oh!

I'm just walking through everything.

Gateway, Seacrest.

Oh, okay, cool.

She did...

Thank you.

Gateway, Fort Peck.

Hi.

How you doing?

Hotel.

She in here?

No, she's in the next room with my manager.

Oh, okay.

Basically this is it.

It's a crash that's been occurring since the 21st.

They were able to validate it.

Obviously everything is saved.

Oh, okay.

Just a quick rundown of it.

On each one that they were able to validate.

So it was, we had shortages at $1,400, but we were only able to validate $600 because of where she was at the time on the registry.

So she works here?

Yeah, she works here.

She's admitted everything to our manager.

Okay.

This one doesn't show up, but I'll show you.

I mean, you could see, like, all the videos saved, this is just images of it, but you can see that's how they validated it.

So what is she doing? Like, say for instance, what is this, like, what is she doing?

She's basically just, like, taking money out of the register and just putting it on the bottom. Okay. And then she'll put it off to the side and then take it later on.

Oh, okay. Gotcha.

The District Asset Protection Manager gives police a sworn statement on how Annie was caught.

The statement that you're going to give is the truth and to the best of your knowledge. Okay. Put your hand down and then could you tell me what happened? Okay, so there's cash shortages that were reported to me. So anytime there's a cash shortage, we look into CCTV to find out how many times, you know, a tilth was popped open or kind of a pattern we look at. We have a central investigations team up in Atlanta, Georgia.

So what they do is once I get a lead or I feel maybe I got one hit off of, I saw a behavior or did see it, I sent it up to Atlanta where the Central Investigations Team, they put the case packet together which

you will get.

And it just goes back into time on other occasions that there's been cash shortages to rule out anybody but that person that's actually taken the cash. So on several different occasions in the packet I'll show you that it was $600. I believe it was about eight times that the till was popped open and that she would take a $50 bill or a $20 depending on what she had in the register. Once we on what she had in the register.

Once we determined what she had in the register, what she would take, we determined $600. We had exposure of $1,450, but we're only going to charge for what we have on video, which is $600. And I did the interview today, and she admitted to needing to help her family out with medical bills and she admitted to taking the money and she's sorry and

That's where we're at today and anything over $100, we will prosecute. Okay, so y'all noticed it last month the forecast shortage forecast cash shortages. And then research you guys saw that she's been doing it since October.

Loss prevention gets the surveillance footage pulled up for police to watch.

So you can see the customer left.

I have a second tag. That's a copy. Going to be Alpha-Hall 6, 9-Mai-Zulu, AG-6, 9-MT.

Please contact your Alexa.

54, I have Alexa registered to Francis, Irina, Adelaide, and Melody here. I don't blame Tanner. I says 201, though. $200 and one penny. I'm sure it was just 201.

It was like four fifties. Yeah, she took them from the bottom. She started at 519 and then 520.

So that's what she did. She picked it up, got the 50s, and then threw it back.

Or 20s. These are hundreds. the If someone was walking by. There it is. She put two. She only took out two. So that was at 520.

Okay.

Yeah. Well, wait a minute.

Looks like she's separating.

It looks like 20 is there.

Looks like 20 is there.

Those are hundreds.

So is that kind of a practice to do that at all?

I mean, at the end of the night, in the beginning. Or if you're coming on to the register, sometimes they'll count the drawer, but it's all done

right here, placed directly back in, not ever in there.

Because she's just holding her hand like this.

This is weird, yeah, but we didn't have this.

How do you feel?

Okay, and they can they have receipts of the George or just do

Yes

The dollar amount okay good go good. Go in there and Mirandize her. She'll probably give you a confession anyway that she's already done it with the boss or whatever. Just walk in there and play it cool.

Hey, we talked to your boss or whatever, but we're just going to elaborate on that. Okay. So just say, okay, so tell us about what happened.

After collecting all the evidence, officers go to interview Ms. Alexander about the theft.

Hi, good afternoon. Oh, sorry.

It's a bunch of cards, sorry.

Yeah, because we can't have it, we can't have a thing.

It's a prior threshold.

Have you got a bedside record today?

All right, so, yeah, I'm gonna to put you guys, sorry. Yeah, because we can't have it, we can't have a thing because of the fire threshold.

Have you got a bedside president?

So, yeah, I'm going to sit down too. So I'm Officer Elkins with Long Beach Police Department. My partner, Officer Matlock. First, what we're going to do is I just want to verify who I'm speaking with. So what is your name and date of birth?

I just want I'm going to come closer to you just so you can hear me. I'm going to read you your Miranda rights. All right. And then you stop me if you have any questions. Okay. So first and foremost, I'm required to warn you before you make any statement that you

have the following constitutional rights. You have the right to remain silent and not answer any questions. Any statement you make must be freely and voluntarily given. So with that being said, do you have any questions on the Miranda rights? Okay.

Do you understand the Miranda rights that she...

All right. Well, we just need to, we just, first we got to see what happens here and then that's something that I will have to discuss with somebody higher up than me if you're going to go to jail. Alright, but the crime has been committed. Okay?

So with that being said, you know, Home Depot gave us these documents here, so I just need you to kind of walk me through what happened on each of these occasions that the ones that I'm gonna ask you a question about so there's one that happened back in like um do you remember most of the occasions of these happening one in October there was one in October where you kind of took $200 $200 and one cent all right so I'm just you kind of took $200, $200 and one cent.

All right.

So I'm just gonna kind of tell you what it was. It looks like you would place the, the, you know, you place bills, right? And I guess place them, how are you, how are you placing them? Cause they have it here.

Okay.

So you know why we're here, obviously. How do you place them? Because they have it here. Hold on a second. Okay.

So, you know why we're here, obviously.

Yeah, she talked to me.

Okay. Beth talked to you, correct? Okay, so we just have some clarification questions in reference to this. Now, you don't remember specific dates?

No, I don't remember the month of October.

From October, okay.

Okay. Do you remember any other?

What do you remember?

I think the last time I took money was about a month ago.

So in November you think? Yeah. Okay and what do you know how much you took? Um probably 100, 200. 100 or 200 dollars okay and then how how would you how would you take it?

Obviously you didn't just go and grab it. Yeah. While doing strip, I would count it and I would take a hundred out or a ton out of it.

For strip. Strip.

I would put it on the keyboard, on the keyboard.

And then I would put the rest of the money back into the cash till?

Okay.

And then how would you get the money from the keyboard?

I would fold it underneath the keyboard.

Okay, so you would fold it when it's underneath the keyboard?

Okay.

And then what would you do with it?

I would just take it and put it in my pocket.

Okay.

So you just put your hand under there?

Okay.

And you just put it in your pocket? So you don't put the...anytime you put it in your jacket?

Sometimes.

Sometimes you put it in your jacket? But then I would take it out and just put it in my pocket. So you don't put the anytime you put it in your jacket. Sometimes you put

in your jacket. That's how you did most of your I guess most of them. actually? She said $15,000. I don't remember almost that much. Probably, because to my record, probably less than $500. Less than? So you believe that you took less than $500?

You took money but not, you don't believe it was that much? I'm just trying to help my dad with his medical bill and my mom with some of the house bill.

How old are you?

19.

So your father has some medical issues?

He had to get a surgery for a pacemaker. Okay.

And he's not from here so he didn't have a insurance card and stuff like that.

So you weren't keeping the money for your personal use? You were helping?

My mom, she works 40 hours,

but I think that sometimes it doesn't cover the whole amount for the rent. So once in a while, if she doesn't have that,

I will give her $200 just to cover the house.

Cover the rent and the bills for the house.

Especially if I have a car accident, with my other car. So the rest of the money we had to pay, I would help her out until it was fully covered.

That sounds like a lot of money, probably more than $500, but you know, medical expenses and all.

I don't pay all the medical expenses. Yeah. I just, I mean, if I have like 100, I would put it down.

I don't remember that.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us or...

Sorry.

Your phone is ringing.

Your tissue is ringing.

Don't make a phone call.

I'll say that.

Okay.

So the bare minimum, and I'll explain this to you, that there's going to be a report

written.

So bare minimum, there's a report that Officer Elkins is going to write, and that's why we give, we afford you the opportunity to talk with us because in there, in her report, she will state what you told us. That you believe you took less than $500 and then of that money that you were helping the family with medical expenses for your father, household bills, stuff like that, not that you went and took money and then used it on yourself for selfish means or something.

So depending on what the supervisor says, that'll be our next course of action.

So I did go ahead and make a phone call and then did an investigation based on what Home Depot has. And then you're stating that with Home Depot that we are going to take you into custody today. So I need for you to just go ahead and stand up and place your hands behind your back.

Can I call somebody?

Yeah, you can call somebody.

Who are you calling?

I'm just standing on my phone. Yeah, you can call somebody. Who you calling?

1413. Just shoot him a text and let him know that you'll call him later, but you're going to be taking him to custody.

So far, 5425 at unit 201.

Um. Alright, so this is... So, let me see here. Because it's such a...it was... happened...the situation and because of the way that it happened, we can't do that.

We can walk out slowly or whatever, but I'm gonna have to cover you.

This is what we can do. If you want to, like to loosen up your sweatshirt where people can't see that you're in handcuffs

and just kind of walk.

You know what I mean? Because we're going to have you handcuffed behind your back. If you want to somehow have your sweatshirt where people can't see, that's what we can afford you because of your cooperation.

We can't have you walking out of just can't like without a

been cooperative with bo

We can do that where it's

homeowner. You're gonna g

where you're gonna be pro attended. You'll be able to. Let's get this taken care of right now. Alright, I'm going to go ahead and make sure you have anything.

Alright, I'm going to go ahead and make sure you have anything.

Alright, I'm going to go ahead and make sure you have anything.

Alright, I'm going to go ahead and make sure you have anything.

Face me.

Can you turn on that? Okay, so just a shirt only. And then I'm going to shake this. Sorry. Make sure nothing comes out of here. Lip gloss. What we got going on? What's under here? Just your hair? Okay. So you know that's going to come off when we get to the station. But we'll let you... And I like to take my phone on though. Yeah, the phone won't work.

You just want to walk around. And my phone. You just won't carry it out.

And my bag, I have my bag in the locker.

Okay, that's fine. So we'll have somebody grab it.

Is it locked in the locker?

No, the locker is open.

Okay, so we'll have him. Go ahead and turn around for me.

How do you want to... Do you want to get your arms out and have them you know what I mean and have them underneath so that way You know what I mean, so that way people don't see the handcuffs You know what I'm saying? No, like like taking out your shirt. Yeah, take your arms out of your shirt and keep them keep your shirt over it You know what I mean? So that way people can't see that.

I hope I don't go to just where because I have to sign a paper to pay the money.

Yeah, that's the civil restitution side of it. And then what we'll do is we'll pull this down over.

Alpha take Alpha.

Okay, what's that?

Yeah.

What locker is your stuff in?

She just needs a burp on the terminating point.

Okay. Okay. Okay.

Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay, so yeah, what locker? Yeah is yours?

No longer employed with the Home Depot, okay

So I have access to that.

Matt, you ready? Hello.

You ready? Yeah.

All right. Can you pull this down a little bit?

Where? My jacket. This?

Or my hoodie.

Alright, we're just going to go straight out, alright? Try to go through here. All right, we're just gonna go straight out, all right?

Try to go through here.

Straight out this way.

Come on. Come on.

Annie Alexander was charged with felony organized scheme to defraud.