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Sto-Rox elementary school secretary charged with stealing $1,000 from fundraiser

Sto-Rox elementary school secretary charged with stealing $1,000 from fundraiser
Sto-Rox elementary school secretary charged with stealing $1,000 from fundraiser 02:11

KENNEDY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) — A Sto-Rox elementary school secretary was charged with stealing more than $1,000 from a school fundraiser.

According to court paperwork, Jasmine Smith, who worked as a secretary for Sto-Rox Upper Elementary School, is facing charges of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property after she took $1,015 meant for the Sto-Rox PTO. 

Police were sent to Sto-Rox in December after district administrators reported a theft that had happened on Nov. 15. 

School leaders told police that the money was discovered missing after a fundraiser order wasn't delivered. A student's family contacted the district after they didn't get their fundraiser order. The family said they had given the money for the order to Smith in person on Nov. 15.

Police said surveillance footage showed Smith put the money in her desk drawer after receiving it then she left for the day during dismissal. The video later shows Smith coming back around 10 p.m. that night, taking the envelope from her drawer and walking out of the building, investigators said. 

"I know times are hard, but dude, there's no excuse to take from a child. You're stealing from children. That's just in your spirit," said Ronald Hein from McKees Rocks. 

Police said Smith had three magistrate warrants for "failure to pay" and had also been convicted of retail theft.

KDKA-TV reached out to the district, which said it's a personnel matter so it can't comment. 

Court paperwork shows she has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Feb. 18. 

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