Employee Used Community Association Account To Buy Gift Cards: Cops

PALOS HEIGHTS, IL — A country club groundskeeper is accused of using the community association's commercial account to fraudulently purchase e-gift cards, Palos Heights police said. Christopher Mashburn, 44, of Sauk Village, is facing a felony count of online theft by deception.

On Jan. 13, the manager of Oak Hills Country Club Village told officers that someone had purchased two $2,000 e-gift cards using the community associations commercial account. Palos Heights investigators were able to tie the email addresses used to purchase the cards to Mashburn, police said.

Video obtained from the Menards in Bridgview captured a woman exiting a truck police said registered to Mashburn. The woman was observed on video making purchases using the e-gift cards.

Mashburn turned himself Friday in at the Palos Heights police station. Police said Mashburn denied any knowledge of the scheme. The evidence gathered was presented to Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, who approved felony charges.

Mashburn was processed and released on the sole charge. He is due back in court Feb. 18 in Bridgeview.

CORRECTION: The business was misidentified in an earlier version of this story. The correct venue is Oak Hills County Club Village, not the golf course.