By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A 43-year-old Rochester man has been charged with theft from his employer, accused of diverting an estimated $230,000 from a discount building supply store in Rochester.
Larry Ledl is scheduled to make his plea in Thurston County Superior Court next Tuesday.
Ledl worked for VJs Bargain Barn, a business on the 6500 block of 198th Avenue Southwest, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.
VJs had some concerns and hired an outside accountant to look over the books, sheriff’s Lt. Greg Elwin said. The theft was discovered and the sheriff’s office began investigating in May, Elwin said.
Money was coming in but not getting to the bank, he said.
Ledl quit before he was arrested, according to Elwin. “He just didn’t show up for work one day,” he said.
“It sounds like he became aware he was the subject of this investigation pretty early on,” Elwin said.
Ledl was arrested on Sept. 28 and released on bail.
He was charged on Oct. 2 with first-degree theft, in connection with money missing between mid-2008 and July 31, 2011, according to the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office. The charging includes an alternative of 22 counts of felony theft, according to Senior Deputy Prosecutor Mark Thompson.
Elwin said Ledl opened a similar business in Chehalis since the alleged theft; Builders Surplus Northwest.
An employee there yesterday said the owner – someone who is not Ledl – had no comment.