Two Rec and Parks Staff Accused of Taking County Gas for Personal Use

Two Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks employees were implicated in a theft of county gasoline, a report from Anne Arundel County Police Department spokesman Justin Mulcahy said on Tuesday.

County vehicles are refueled at the Southern District Road Operations facility on Central Avenue in Davidsonville.

According to the report, Lothian resident Preston Perry, 44, of Lothian and Jodie Harbert, 44, of Glen Burnie were issued summons. Because of the summons, no booking photos, or mug shots, were available from police when the media release was issued.

The investigation got underway in April of this year when police were contacted by Recreation and Parks staff because there was suspicion that employees were taking county fuel from fueling sites. The complaint said that specific employees were using the gas for personal use.

The fueling sites are located at Roads Operations Garages. Anne Arundel Public Works department maintains county garages located in Friendship, Davidsonville, Crownsville, St. Margarets, Odenton, Pasadena (Mountain Road) and Glen Burnie (Dover Road).

The Southern District Facility is located on 214 between Fern Hill Court and Beards Point Road.

Police detectives examined reports and found that gas usage was higher than average for certain employees. Recreation and Parks supervisors agreed that the numbers were abnormal. The report said that the detectives conducted further interviews and determined that two employees were indeed taking county gas for personal vehicles. Both Perry and Harbert were Recreation and Parks employees at the time of the theft.

Police charged Preston Walter Perry with theft less than $100. Jodie Frank Harbert was charged with theft less than $1,000 and a theft scheme less than $1,000. Criminal summons were served to the two on June 26.