I know of comapnies who fire based on any theft ,believing that if an employee will steal something small the employee will eventually steal something big.
I have no problem with organizations firing for petty theft. My point is that there are such stupid people as to risk everything to steal a petty amount.
In this case, a public official stole $2,800 in cumulative theft, which was enough to be labeled a larceny;yet in today's professional world it is not a lot of money. He sold out for peanuts.