Former Cloverdale Casey’s manager accused of theft

Erica Simpson

The former manager of the Cloverdale Casey’s General store is accused of stealing 16 cash deposits from the store in April and May.

Erica N. Simpson, 39, Terre Haute, was booked in the Putnam County Jail at 10:58 a.m. Thursday for Level 6 felony theft.

The criminal investigation started on July 1, when Casey’s loss prevention contacted Cloverdale Town Marshal Steve Hibler.

According to Hibler’s police report, store video showed Simpson taking the cash deposits and change orders from the store on 16 different days between April 4 and May 28.

However, on those same days, video at First National Bank, Cloverdale, reportedly showed Simpson only dropping off the change orders and not depositing the cash.

The daily deposits ranged anywhere from $4,698.21 to $7,499.31, for a total of $45,780.28 in missing funds.

Before calling Hibler, the Casey’s loss prevention investigator and district manager had confronted Simpson, who initially denied taking the money.

Hibler reported that when he questioned Simpson, she admitted to taking the money, although she lost track of how much or how many times.

Court documents further indicate that Simpson said she was taking the money to provide for her children, though later said she gave more than $20,000 of it to a man whom she felt used her for money.

“It’s amazing in this day and age with video, that people think they can get away with that,” Hibler told the Banner Graphic.

Bond was set for Simpson at $10,000 cash.