More Arrests In Bensalem School District Insider Swindles
By Brad Segall
BENSALEM, Pa. (CBS) -- The corruption scandal that rocked the Bensalem (Bucks County) School District continues to grow wider with the arrests of seven more people, six of them district employees.
The most recent arrests bring to 27 the number of people taken into custody in connection with the thefts, which authorities say date back more than a decade.
Four members of the school district's grounds crew face theft and related charges for stealing more than 13,000 gallons of gasoline over five years. Automotive parts and other items were also stolen.
"You had the individuals stealing, (and) the bosses either knowing or asleep at the switch or just letting it happen, and not watching over," says Bensalem public safety director Fred Harran, "and there's laws against that as well when you're entrusted with taxpayer money."
Harran says the current administration in the district has a zero-tolerance policy for these types of crimes. He would not comment on whether there may be more arrests in the future.
The other 20 defendants have all admitted guilt in the $1.7-million theft ring. A third of that has been paid back.
