Roaring Spring woman accused of stealing $35K
Bartek allegedly caught on hidden camera stealing from local firm
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A Roaring Spring woman is accused of stealing nearly $35,000 from a local business after allegedly being caught on a hidden camera going through the owner's office on several different occasions.
Joanna Bartek, 51, was arraigned Monday by Magisterial District Judge Andrew L. Blattenberger on five felony counts each of burglary and criminal trespass, as well as single felony counts of theft and receiving stolen property. She remains free on $100,000 unsecured bail.
The charges stem from an investigation by North Woodbury Township officers into the theft of money and unauthorized entries into JD's Detailing at 2329 Cove Land Road in Martinsburg. The victim contacted officers Aug. 27 to report an individual, later identified as Bartek, entering his office, going through his filing cabinets, desk drawers, envelopes and taking money. He told officers he had installed a camera inside his office before contacting police because he suspected money was being stolen, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
An employee told officers that Bartek used JD's Detailing's restroom for extended periods of time whenever she visited. He also said that when he made deposits at the Credit Union, the teller would often say the deposits were smaller than what he was saying should be there. The victim told officers that Bartek never worked for him and did not have permission to be in his office or to go through his things, the report states.
Video provided to police by the victim showed Bartek entering JD's Detailing and going through the office's desk, drawers, cabinets, envelopes and safes on three different occasions. The victim reported that about $20,000 was missing from the safe, the report states.
In a police interview, Bartek said she had gone to JD's Detailing numerous times for work- and family-related reasons while acknowledging she had never worked for him and did not have permission to enter his office or go through his things. Bartek also acknowledged that she knew the location of the safe, how to open it and when the victim and employees were away for lunch, the report states.
When asked how many times she had entered the victim's office looking for money, Bartek said she may have done so two or three times over a period of months but could not give an exact amount of money taken. She told officers she no longer had any of the money. Bartek then asked officers whether the charges were being made at the victim's request and whether she could simply pay restitution to the victim instead of being charged. Bartek said she was not trying to avoid responsibility, admitted that she had done wrong and expressed a desire to repay the victim, the report states.
A review of Bartek's criminal history revealed a history of theft-related offenses dating back to the mid-1990s. That is consistent with Bartek's admission that she has had a longstanding problem with stealing. The victim calculated $34,710 missing in cash from his office and safe over a series of months, according to the affidavit.
Bartek is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Sept. 24 in front of Blattenberger.