Volunteer Firefighter, Girlfriend Charged With Theft
NEW EAGLE (KDKA) -- A New Eagle volunteer firefighter is accused of stealing $40,000 worth of items from his department and selling the items for scrap.
Monongahela Police arrested 25-year-old Michael Griest and his girlfriend, 22-year-old Tiffany Gola Tuesday afternoon.
They say on at least five occasions, Griest used his passcode and stuffed his car trunk with the stolen items and took them to Monongahela Iron & Metal, a scrap yard, which had been alerted by police.
The suspect stole all kinds of materials, including oxygen tanks and even the brass eagle that sat on top of the flagpole.
"The recycling yard had video and they require you to produce a driver's license and he didn't travel far – he only went approximately two miles up the road where he turned in all these items that were stolen from the fire department at the recycling yard," Monongahela Police Chief Brian Tempest said.
Greist and Gola are being held on theft, conspiracy and receiving stolen property charges. They are in the Washington County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bond.
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