Posted on 03/09/2021 2:36:47 PM PST by Olog-hai
A 48-year-old Amtrak worker has been arrested for allegedly stealing chainsaws and chainsaw parts valued at more than $50,000 from his employer and reselling them, mainly via an online auction service, federal prosecutors in New Jersey say.
Jose Rodriguez, of Brick, faces one count of theft from an agency receiving federal funds and one count of theft of government property for the alleged years-long scheme, Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Rachel Honig said Tuesday.
According to court papers, Rodriguez has been an Amtrak employee since October 2007, most recently as a senior engineer and repairman based out of a facility in North Brunswick.
Between August 2016 and July 2020, he allegedly stole 77 chainsaws, 103 bars and 163 chains from Amtrak and used an online auction service to sell most of the goods to buyers in more than a half-dozen U.S. states. The total estimated value of the items was $53,535, the complaint says. …
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnewyork.com ...
I can’t imagine one Amtrack location would need that many chainsaws - so one would think they would notice so many being purchased to replace lost ones.
Although maybe they are used so infrequently the guy could explain it away. “I can’t remember the last time we used it - maybe last Spring? Or maybe that storm 4 months ago?? I’ll just buy another one.”
Similar reasoning explains why Seattle is one of the top locations for people buying sunglasses!
Dang, I am thinking about getting a new chainsaw, because my 3 are getting a bit old (the newest is 20, and on its 6th bar, 50 or so chains...)
Oh well, I suppose I’ll have to pay retail. Sigh
The guy screwed over a great job with nice bennies and paycheck for a lousy $50K.
Dumb.
He should have just declared he is an illegal alien and he’d get 100k per year in free stuff.
That’s what the parts were “valued” at. Doesn’t say how much he actually got for them.
Remember when Pentagon spent $640/each on a toilet seats?
Reminded me of a semi truck laying on its side along the interstate. The trailer was broken open and contents scattered along the road which were 50lb bags of potatoes and onions that were being hauled off the road and loaded onto the firetrucks by the rescue guys.
I watch 30 brand new GM cars and a few boxcars full of brand new Monroe shocks get run through a car crusher in my hometown back in the early 80s.
One of my childhood friends grew up in the auto recycler business. I though his dad was gonna cry. But they did get to recycle the steel.
If Amtrak paid $53,000 for them, it probably amounted to 3 chainsaws.
What makes/models of cars?
That reminds me of the cash for clunker program. Such a waste.
/sarc
Makes it even dumber.
I do remember that two were corvettes. Some were pickup trucks, some family cars.
Clinesmith skated on the charge.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.