The procedures for the handling of school money were breached over a nine-month period during which approximately $10,000 was stolen from Patterson Mill Middle and High School, according to Harford County Public Schools representatives. But school officials would not specify what those policies were, how they may have been changed following the theft, or the extent of any internal disciplinary action.
Harford County Sheriff’s Office representatives told The Dagger that the investigation into the theft of the money had been closed without any charges filed due to “too many questions surrounding employee accessibility [to the money] and a lack of accountability in the handling of the money.”
According to a police report, Harford County Public Schools security chief Bob Benedetto told police Oct. 20 that a combination of cash and personal checks collected by the school between Dec. 9, 2009 and Sept. 16 could not be accounted for. The missing money came from the cash box for money taken at various sports games, and from a deposit for other school activities.
Benedetto had first conducted an internal investigation involving multiple persons at the school, the police report stated. He told police that the school’s vault, where cash boxes are located, had been re-keyed, with the only new key issued to Patterson Mill Principal Wayne Thibeault.
The Dagger posed the following questions to Kranefeld on the evening of Tuesday, July 19 after learning that the investigation into the theft had been closed:
– Does HCPS have protocols for handling cash and were those protocols followed at PMMHS during the period when the theft occurred (Dec 2009 – Sept 2010)?
– There are reports that the principal did not report the loss – who at Patterson Mill discovered the loss and who first reported it to central office? (if not by name, then by position).
– The loss is believed to have occurred sometime over a nine-month period, why wasn’t it discovered and reported immediately?
– Who is responsible for the oversight of funds at a school and will there be any disciplinary action taken independent of the criminal investigation?
– Could you send a copy of the written protocols in place at the time of the thefts?
Kranefeld was in contact over the next several days, explaining that her efforts to gather the answers were hindered as key administration officials were out on vacation, and that some information was not legally releasable. Finally, on Friday, she sent the following response on behalf of Harford County Public Schools:
As you are aware, with any situation involving personnel, I am limited by law with respect to releasing detailed information regarding an incident. However, our investigation of the missing money at Patterson Mill Middle-High School is complete and our findings are consistent with that of the criminal investigation conducted by the Harford County Sheriff’s Department. The results of the investigation did not identify any one person as responsible for the theft of the money. Our policies and procedures regarding the management of school activity funds were breached and we are working with those individuals involved to identify areas for tighter controls. In addition, we have taken appropriate corrective action with regard to individuals who may have been involved in breaching those policies and procedures.
Multiple subsequent requests for clarification and further detail in the week since The Dagger received that statement went unacknowledged by Kranefeld.
Sources from several Harford County schools told The Dagger that they followed certain protocols for handling money, which varied depending on the school. But they said that the principal at each school was ultimately responsible for the oversight of school funds.
The organization has given the silent treatment not just to members of the media but also to members of the school community, including Rob Keesling, president of the Patterson Mill Athletic Boosters.
“What’s Harford County Public Schools going to do about it now? You obviously have a gross mismanagement of the money at that school,” Keesling said upon being told of the end of the investigation. “Are they just going to stick their heads in the sand?”
Keesling sent a letter in June to Harford County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Tomback asking for details of the incident and who had been held accountable for the loss of the money, but has yet to receive a response. Last week, a Facebook group was formed by another parent of a PMMHS student to seek the same answers, with an organizational meeting planned for the near future.
This entire case continues to astound me. I know lie detector tests and voice stress analyzer tests cannot be used in court, but were these even administered? Two principals earlier this year get demoted because their schools were underachieving, yet the principal of Patterson Mill has this occur, and he is rewarded with receiving the lone key to the vault instead of being demoted/fired. I don’t have kids in the Public School system here but I am completely disgusted by Tombeck’s arrogance and his total disdain for the children of Harford County.
Yeah!! That’s right!! Nobody took the money, it just vanished into midair… What a joke! but its not even funny.
As the warden said in “The Shawshank Redemption”: “It just vanished like a fart in the wind!”
Sounds like a cover up to me.
This story gets more unbelievable with every update. The official response from HCPS is an embarrasment!! We are talking felony theft here people! Whether it started 2 years ago and took place over a long period of time is irrelevant. I say again, felony theft!! Heads (or one head) should have rolled by now. And I for one don’t want to hear the mumbo jumbo from HCPS about what they can and cannot say. As taxpayers; people that pay the salaries of these people; we deserve answers to the questions. Two prinicpals are held responsible for poor classroom achievment and get demoted, but at PMHS, this happens and the principal there may get to join Tomback and represent HCPS on a trip to China. Unreal!
Perhaps while the principal is in China a loan could be arranged.
I agree it is bad that nothing has been done but ENOUGH with the taxpayer argument. Just in case you forgot, teachers, principals, and other school employees are also taxpayers, too. I have about had it with parents demanding things because they are TAXPAYERS–guess what, so am I, as a teacher, so how about I get what I demand too?
I agree with you to an extent and I have my own term that the school system uses all the time which makes me want to vomit -STAKEHOLDERS! That word gets used constantly by the PR office and in presentations. I think the frustration is that it doesn’t seem like anyone gets held accountable and so much of people’s taxes go to fund the school system and education. I wish the teachers and the teachers union would get with parents and maybe we could all get something accomplished. That was the object of the PTA but apparently that has gotten lost somewhere.
Ummm….I can happily add stakeholders to the list of words that need to go. Honestly, I think 95% of parents and 95% of teachers wants the same things for the kids. Yes, there are horrible teachers out there and there are horrible parents too, but I truly believe most parents are trying their best to help their kids and that most teachers are doing the same. Less middlemen would make the work of parents and teachers much, much easier.
All taxpayers want accountability. As a teacher you can have all the accountabilty you can swallow. We are tired of swallowing all the “accountability” we have been provided in this case.
Accoounting procedures are/should be open and available and for Ms.Kanfeld to be withholding them is a sad story. Not sure that she feels she can even be doing her job to provide public information.
The reason given … that she could not fully respond is that people are on vacation. Well, I didn’t know the central Office was so thinly staffed. The place must be shut down. How can we allow anyone to go on vacation if no one else can answer the questions or make the place work. It gets sadder every time we hear from Ms. Kranfeld.
There is an unmistakable arrogance in this county when people in HCPS are called on to be accountable and apologize or explain their actions which may seem arbitrary and capricious. I experienced this with Middle School Principal Nancy Reynolds and the Security Chief Mr Benedetto. It’s as if they are keenly aware that they are big fish in a little pond and the rest of us are minnows for their nourishment. The important thing to remember when dealing with these “People in Authority” is that they can easily be embarrassed by public disclosure of their close door dealings with the rest of us. I talked with two other parents in my neighborhood in Bel Air and none of them had a kind thing to say about Mrs Reynolds – and my letter to Jackie Haas was acted on, she called me on the phone and arranged to fix things, although poorly executed by Mr Benedetto. Be thankful he doesn’t run the Harford County Sheriffs.
Agreed!!!!!! Benedetto is a JOKE!!!!!!!
Thanks to Aaron and the Dagger for keeping this story alive and continuing the search for answers!
After a six-month investigation by the Harford County Sheriff’s Department into the theft of more than $10,000 in cash from Patterson Mill Middle/High School in Bel Air the case has been closed without any charges filed or prosecution of any suspects planned.
The Harford County State’s Attorney’s office declined to prosecute due to “too many questions surrounding employee accessibility [to the money] and a lack of accountability in the handling of the money.”
Why did the Coordinator of Security, Bob Benedetto wait so long to report this crime? In fact, not only does he corrupt the crime scene by destroying any forensic evidence, he actually has the safe re-keyed before reporting the crime?
By playing an amateur CSI investigator, Benedetto not only contaminated the crime scene, but he interviews potential suspects and thereby placed them on notice that a criminal investigation is forthcoming.
The school system has an Internal Auditor who should be overseeing all missing funds, although there wasn’t any mention of her in the investigation. And furthermore, the school system doesn’t even know how much money is missing, i.e. between $10,000 and $20,000 dollars?
The school system has a Coordinator of Security, a Coordinator of Internal Investigations, an Internal Auditor, and a Harford County Sheriff’s Deputy assigned full time to this particular school as a School Resource Officer.
What were they doing?
Patterson Mill Middle/High School is a new school with a multi million dollar surveillance system that is supposed to prevent theft? What happened?
What success has the Fraud Hotline achieved in the past three years of operation?
Concerned citizens and employees can report suspected fraud, waste or abuse of school system resources by calling 410-809-6056. The call automatically goes to a voice mailbox that is monitored daily. The information reported is reviewed by the Office of Internal Audit.
Callers have the option to leave contact information. All information will remain confidential.
Examples of what to report:
Missing cash
Embezzlement
Falsified documents
Theft of supplies or equipment
Abuse of work hours
Computer/technology abuse
Vendor fraud
Contractor fraud
Worker’s compensation abuse
Other improper activities
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Will Dr. Tomback find the answers to these and other perplexing questions on his junket to China?
Incompetence resigns and we all are getting soaked!
You people in Harford County don’t realize how lucky you have it! Compared to other school systems in Maryland like Baltimore City or Cecil County, Harford County is fine. Does it have it’s flaws, you bet. But please realize things could be worse. From what I’ve seen of Patterson Mill, it is a great school full of great people. I wish I had gone to a high school like Patterson Mill when I was growing up, the school community really seems like a family. I agree, that it is wrong that all that money was stolen, and I do agree that someone should be held accountable, but please people don’t be so cynical! Trust me, despite HCPS’s flaws, things could be worse.
Well golly gee, George, I guess us poor dumb schmucks should just settle down and be content when 10 or 20 grand goes missing because, like you say, things could be worse.
George, let me open your eyes a little. If we settle down and just go “Aw shucks, folks, what’s 10 or 20 grand among friends?” then the next that happens is that things do get worse. I could care less about what happens in Baltimore City or Cecil or anywhere else. I want the money back or I want someone’s scalp. If we don’t all want that then we will end up being Cecil County or Baltimoe City. Or worse. Can’t we all just get along? No, George, we can’t. The price is far too high.
@George… obviously you are not a HCPS teacher! We do have fantastic teachers and wonderful schools in this county.I have been a proud HCPS teacher for many years. However, in the last 2 years things have gotten so bad. The morale is very low and we are held accountable over and over for student progress. The time spent on testing and input of data is ridiculous and takes away from the actual learning. However, the “higher ups” don’t seem to have to be held accountable for very much. No straight answers are ever given to us about anything we ask. The explanations have been short, rude and arrogant! Oh,and a Fraud Hotline… what’s that??? Never heard of it. But, we know reporting anything would be useless anyway because we are never listened to and respected. The general public has NO idea how bad things really are right now in our school system. I used to be proud to be a HCPS teacher, I can’t say I feel that way any more!
People need to start really paying attention. New teachers are leaving the school system. Remember you have teachers, who have been teaching for 3 or 4 years and have never had a raise. They apply to another county, and are hired and paid on a higher scale for their experience.
I know the economy is bad, and things are rough, but things in the school system seem to be losing footing.
What an astounding and pitiful lack of action on behalf of HCPS. Someone was and has been asleep at the wheel. Even if a suspect was identified, there can be no excuse for the lack of oversight. Thus I believe Mr. Benedtto should be held accountable. I shudder to think of other valuable resources, beside cash in this instance that go missing from all of our schools.
Thanks Dagger for staying on this story.
Yes. Thanks Aaron and the Dagger for presenting this story.
This is not the 1st time a problem of this type has happen at Patterson Mill. During the construction of the school on Feb 20, 2006 $127,000.00 of copper pipe was “remove” from the property and was never found, also on Mar 6, 2006 $4,500.00 of copper wire was “remove” and on June 11, 2007 $13,000.00 of copper wire was “remove” and never found. Is there something in the water?
Thanks, Dion “See, it’s not just in my district!” Guthrie.
I think the councilman is allergic to grammar.