Carrick Woman Accused Of Stealing And Selling Stamps Worth Thousands Of Dollars

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A Carrick woman was arrested and charged Thursday for stealing what could be more than $1 million worth of stamps and collectibles.

The owner of Creative Products International (CPI) in Squirrel Hill says that 40-year-old Colleen Carroll-Dean stole valuable stamps from CPI while she was employed there and sold them on her personal eBay.

According to investigators, the alleged thefts took place over a period of several years while Carroll-Dean worked as an administrative and accounting assistant for the company that sells products via the Internet.

Police say the owner of CPI received a phone call from a man who had purchased the stamps from Carroll-Dean on eBay and had not received his order. After the owner talked to the man and viewed emails between the buyer and Carroll-Dean, CPI's officer manager reviewed their inventory and discovered that original boxes of stamps were missing and had been replaced with new boxes that were numbered as if they were originals.

CPI estimated that 137,000 stamps were missing, coming to a value of about $266,000.

Carroll-Dean also allegedly stole other collectibles and a number of stamps that were considered "priceless."

Investigators recovered some of the stolen items while searching Carroll-Dean's home. Carroll-Dean was arrested Tuesday.

KDKA's Christine D'Antonio went to her home Friday, but no one answered the door.

Creative Products International declined to comment on camera saying this was a personal matter that is in the hands of authorities.

Carroll-Dean posted bond Friday at the Allegheny County Jail. She faces felony counts of theft.

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