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  • KEVIN HARVISON

    ROBBERY
July 14, 2009

Inside job goes sour for would-be embezzlers

CRIME WATCH | Independence Day caper ends with three people under arrest

By Kandra Wells

Two former employees of a McAlester convenience store have been charged with a third person in a faked robbery over the Independence Day holiday weekend.

Police believe about $4,300 was taken from Shell Express Mart on July 5 by manager Amanda Foster, 23, employee Justin Hill, 21, and Jay McClain, 18.

A July 24 court date has been set for the trio, with Foster, of McAlester, and McClain, of Indianola, freed on OR bonds. Hill, of McAlester, was freed from jail July 10 in lieu of $5,000 bond.

The three are charged with embezzlement of between $1,000 and $25,000 from Shell Express Mart on July 5, and conspiracy to commit the embezzlement by faking a robbery. Additionally, Foster and Hill are charged with misdemeanor false reporting of a crime, and Hill is charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia allegedly found in his pickup truck after the robbery was reported.

Telephone listings could not be found for Foster, Hill or McClain. Court records indicate only Hill had retained an attorney, and the lawyer did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

Owner Randell Ward said he had been asked by McAlester police not to comment on the robbery. “All I know is I haven’t got my money back yet,” he said. His company, Ward Oil, has owned the store for about 15 years.

Det. Mike Crandall of the McAlester Police Department alleges Hill called police July 5 to report he had been attacked in the store parking lot after closing. He told police a masked attacker hit him twice, taking a bank bag he had been carrying before fleeing in a waiting car.

Responding police stopped several cars that night before interviewing Hill and Foster at the store, which is at the corner of South Main Street and South Avenue. Police learned that Hill had sent a text message to Foster after calling 911, according to a police affidavit filed in the case. The text message indicated Hill had been robbed.

Police believe the text message was actually a pre-arranged signal, and that McClain hit Hill in the face the night of the faked robbery. Hill gave McClain thebag, and McClain met with Foster, who had been waiting in a car a block away, according to the affidavit.

McClain and Foster then stashed the bag near a Dumpster at Hill’s apartment complex and then waited for Hill. McClain told police that the next day he and Hill were unable to find the bag and he suspected Hill had moved it, according to the affidavit.

The embezzlement charge carries a possible punishment of five years in prison and fines of up to $5,000, in addition to restitution. A conspiracy conviction could be punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and fines of up to $5,000.

Contact Kandra Wells at kwells@mcalesternews.com.

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