CADILLAC, Mich. (AP/WOOD) — Authorities say $1,400 in cash that was collected and stored by Michigan State Police as part of a theft investigation is among money missing from an evidence room.
Grand Traverse County Prosecutor Bob Cooney tells the Traverse City Record-Eagle that he learned of the missing money last month in the case of a theft from a fast food restaurant. Cooney says cash evidence in other cases vanished from the state police’s Cadillac post.
State police say they opened an investigation into missing property from the Cadillac office in March. State police spokeswoman Tiffany Brown says she couldn’t provide any details about the missing money because it’s an open investigation.
Cooney says a limited number of people typically would have access to an evidence room.
In 2010, MSP investigated the disappearance of tens of thousands of dollars from the Muskegon Heights Police Department evidence room.
State police focused their attention on a now-former officer who worked in the evidence room. The officer had unexplained bank deposits who gambled away more money than he earned.
Prosecutors announced last year they could not file charges because too many people had access to the room, and it was impossible to tell exactly how much money was missing.
Muskegon Heights Police Department made a number of changes following the investigation.