Report: Former Employee Stole Hundreds of Dollars From UNI Concessions Stands

A report released by the Iowa Auditor of State's office says at least hundreds and potentially thousands of dollars were stolen from University of Northern Iowa Concessions.

It also noted that the university needs to make changes to tighten security within its concessions program.

UNI officials asked for a state audit after money went missing from the Events Complex Concessions, which operates all concessions stands at the UNI-Dome, the McLeod Center and the West Gym.

Auditor of State David Vaudt said in the report that surveillance footage in the concession office showed James Kehl, the former Assistant Concessions Director, removing cash from the safe after a women’s basketball game on Feb. 24, 2012. Kehl was also seen placing the cash in his wallet.

Upon recounting the cash in the safe the next morning, the Concessions Director reported $300 had been removed from the safe.

Kehl was arrested on February 29, 2012. At the time, three bundles of $20 bills were found in Kehl’s wallet; according to the report the bundles totaled $300 and were paper clipped in the same way as the cash held in the safe. Kehl was fired on March 1, 2012.

However, the report noted there was no assurance the $300 found in his wallet was the same currency removed from the safe.

Vaudt also reported not all records used to track sales in the concession stands were retained and some of the records included changes to the amounts sold, ending inventory, and amount of spoiled items. As a result, it was not possible to determine if additional money had been stolen.

Vaudt reported Kehl deposited $17,430.97 of cash to his personal bank accounts between April 18, 2007 and February 13, 2012. Most of the cash deposits were reportedly made in even dollar amounts within five days of an event held at the UNI-Dome, the McLeod Center or West Gym.

However, because of the nature of cash sales and cash deposits, authorities were unable to determine what portion of the cash deposited to Kehl’s bank accounts was composed of collections from concession sales.

According to the report, no cash deposits were made to Kehl’s personal bank accounts between February 13, 2012 and July 1, 2012, four months following his termination from employment at UNI Concessions.

Kehl pleaded guilty to a fourth-degree theft charge, a misdemeanor, on June 14, 2012. He was given a deferred judgment and ordered to pay $200 restitution, fines and other court costs totaling $540.

Cedar Falls Patch could not find a phone number for Kehl, and so he could not be reached for comment.

The report also included recommendations to strengthen security at UNI Concessions, including strengthening internal controls and overall operations, such as implementing a point of sale system, ensuring inventory counts are verified by both volunteers and concession staff and cash is collected and locked in bank bags when cash is collected from the concession stands.

Copies of the report have been filed with the University’s Department of Public Safety, the Division of Criminal Investigation, the Black Hawk County Attorney’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office.

A copy of the report is available for review in the Office of Auditor of State and on the Auditor of State’s web site at http://auditor.iowa.gov/specials/1261-8030-BE00.pdf. It is also attached to this article as a PDF.

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