[1]Now former manager at Yard Birds David Briscoe appears in court for bail hearing this afternoon.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A manager at Yard Birds arrested yesterday for allegedly stealing as much as $30,000 from his employer over time told police he’d gone bankrupt and was getting behind in his medical bills.
David E. Briscoe, 58, was booked into the Lewis County Jail and charged with first-degree theft. He appeared before a judge this afternoon.
Defense attorney Bob Schroeter said the Centralia man worked at Yard Birds-Shop ‘n Kart for the past seven years, but is no longer employed there. “He has $19 in the bank,” Schroeter said.
Briscoe qualified for a court-appointed attorney.
Police say Briscoe was responsible for managing the business’s swap meet area, vendors, storage units and recreational vehicle spaces on the property at the 2100 block of North National Avenue in Chehalis.
They say he was collecting rents for the spaces and keeping the cash for himself, over a two to three year period.
According to charging documents, the alleged thefts came to light when one RV space tenant contacted the property manger TJ Guyer about relocating and staff there could not find a record for the woman.
The transactions were investigated by a loss prevention specialist hired by the business and a financial audit conducted by the owner on Friday turned up numerous discrepancies, according to charging documents.
Charging documents indicate Briscoe signed a statement for the loss prevention investigator estimating he may have taken as much as $30,000 and made a handwritten listing of instances he could recall amounting to $18,980.
When interviewed by Chehalis Police Department Officer Troy Thornburg, Briscoe said he believed he had taken somewhere around $24,000 over the past few years, the documents state.
He reportedly admitted to providing tenants with their rental receipt, then destroying his copy and keeping the cash. Briscoe explained to Thornburg he was bankrupt and falling behind on medical bills, charging documents state.
First-degree theft carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and / or a $20,000 fine. Lewis County prosecutors attached a so-called aggravating factor that the crime is a major economic offense.
Lewis County District Court Judge R.W. Buzzard set his bail at $5,000.
Briscoe is expected to be arraigned on Thursday morning, in Lewis County Superior Court.
[2]Yard Birds in Chehalis sits between North National and Northeast Kresky avenues.