Former manager of Salem discount store charged in theft of $18K

A man accused of stealing $18,097 earlier this month from a Dollar General store where he worked in Salem apologized for the thefts to other employees in the store, according to state police.

Austin M. Rider, 23, of Jeannette, was charged with receiving stolen property and theft in connection with taking night deposit bags containing store receipts on five consecutive nights, state Trooper Luke Hanko said.

The theft was discovered May 5 when a district manager arrived at the store and found a handwritten note left on his desk from Rider admitting the theft, according to Hanko. Rider was the store’s manager, according to police reports.

“(The district manager) related that he was told by other store employees that Rider had told them he was moving to Colorado and was sorry for taking the money,” Hanko wrote.

Store security video of Rider removing the night deposit bags from the store each evening was seized as evidence by Hanko.

On Friday, a store official told police Rider had returned $1,760 of the cash that day, but said he did not have the rest of the money as he had given it away to random people, Hanko said.

Store officials said Rider informed them that he intended to eventually repay the money, Hanko said.

Police talked to Rider later Friday, Hanko said.

“Rider expressed he was sorry and understood he would have to pay the store back the remaining money,” Hanko wrote.

Rider also told him that he no longer had the rest of the cash that was stolen, Hanko said.

Rider was served via mailed summons sent this week by Washington Township District Judge Jason Buczak’s office.

Reached by telephone Tuesday, Rider told a reporter, “I’m not answering anything,” and hung up.

He did not have an attorney listed in court documents.

Store officials could not be reached for comment.

According to online dockets, Rider has no prior arrest record in Pennsylvania.