Restaurant theft case expanding; Ex-Whistling Swan manager in Sturbridge allegedly took wine, too.
Byline: Craig S. SemonSTURBRIDGE - Less than a week after the former general manager of the Whistling Swan Restaurant was arraigned on charges of stealing nearly $39,500 worth of valuables from the restaurant's owner, police are planning to charge her with taking a "significant amount of wines and other liquors" from the restaurant.
Lisa M. Pepper, 36, of 51 Brimfield Road, Holland, was charged with stealing over $250, personal valuables allegedly taken from a business safe at the Whistling Swan on Main Street. Ms. Pepper did not enter a plea at her arraignment Jan. 5 in Dudley District Court and indicated she would hire a lawyer. She is to return to court Feb. 9.
Based on items seen by police during an initial search, Police Detective Mark G. Saloio said, a second search was conducted Jan. 11 at Ms. Pepper's home.
"We did some investigation with regards to speaking to the owners and current manager at the restaurant and applied for a second search warrant, alleging that the unusually large amount of alcohol that we observed in the house during the execution of the first warrant were likely to have been taken illegally by Ms. Pepper from the Whistling Swan," Detective Saloio said.
Detective Saloio said 100 to 200 bottles of wine valued at "several thousand dollars" were found on the premises.
"Some of those wines that were recovered from her house still had the address shipping labels to the Whistling Swan restaurant still affixed to their boxes," Detective Saloio said. "They were all over the place. They were in different locations throughout the house."
Charges of larceny over $250 are pending, Detective Saloio said, adding that he expects them to be filed in Dudley District Court within the next few days.
Ms. Pepper was the manager at the Whistling Swan Restaurant when the valuables were stolen from the safe. She was terminated from the job, according to the police report.
Court records said the items included a diamond ring, a woman's Rolex watch, South African Krugerrands, American Eagle gold coins, a gold peso coin, and a half-kilo gold bar.
The property belongs to George Lagaris, owner of the Whistling Swan, who noticed the items missing in May and said he saw Ms. Pepper wearing the watch as recently as last month, according to a probable-cause statement.
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| Title Annotation: | LOCAL NEWS |
|---|---|
| Publication: | Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA) |
| Date: | Jan 17, 2007 |
| Words: | 388 |
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