Auditors discovered the theft last year when a patron’s check, which should have been delivered to the central branch for processing into the city’s main accounting system, failed to clear his bank, according to the September 29 Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “We observed couriers placing deposits in their jeans pockets and leaving deposits in open . . . tubs in an unlocked van,” the audit said.
The library is now logging courier bags and reconciling the deposits from the 15 branches; has installed separate delivery-bag safes, which are kept locked; and has hired an armored-car service. Staff is also being trained in money handling, and surprise inspections are being conducted.
“Basically, we thought we had good controls in place only to discover they were not as good as we thought,” Library Director Gleniece Robinson said in the Star-Telegram.
Although police have two suspects in the thefts, the library’s “poor record-keeping” prohibited an arrest.
Posted October 1, 2004.