Ottumwa police say a former BP employee stole lottery tickets from the store on multiple occasions in February.
Devin Besco, 30, has been charged with four counts of lottery – forge or theft of ticket, a Class D felony, and fifth-degree theft, a simple misdemeanor.
According to court documents, when Besco worked at the BP station on North Court Street, he would take lottery tickets, act as if he were ringing them up, and then put the tickets in his pocket without paying for them.
In one instance, court documents allege Besco took a lottery ticket from the display case and threw it in the trash. Later, he took out the trash and presumably retrieved the discarded ticket.
Additionally, Besco is accused of taking rolls of coins from a safe and putting the money in his pocket. BP management also provided police with several other videos of Besco allegedly taking cash and merchandise without paying for it. Police estimate the total value of the items stolen to be under $300.
A warrant for Besco’s arrest was issued on April 23 and he was taken into custody on the same day.
Besco is currently in the Wapello County Jail where he is being held on a $5,000 bond.
