Restaurant bookkeeper accused of stealing $17,000

Pamela Thorpe

A bookkeeper at a Naples restaurant is accused of pocketing nearly $17,000 in a month earlier this summer, Naples police said.

Pamela A. Thorpe, 61, was responsible for preparing weekly sales recaps, retrieving cash from a safe and making cash deposits at the bank for The Boathouse Restaurant at 990 Broad Ave. S., police said.

In July, the restaurant's owner learned about missing cash deposits from the corporate office. He reported to police in July that about $18,000 had been stolen between May and June, an arrest report said.

Investigators said Thorpe completed accurate weekly sales recap reports but failed to deposit 37 cash deposits worth $16,850.11. The owner said Thorpe was the only employee with the safe's combination.

A review of cash deposits from March to May showed that the deposits were made about 30 to 40 days late, likely indicating "Thorpe was using the restaurant's cash and then making the deposits late," the report said.

Thorpe, of the 8000 block of Alma Road, Fort Myers, faces charges of grand theft and scheme to defraud.