Plymouth Schools Employee Stole From District, Sold Items At Cape Cod Business: DA

PLYMOUTH, MA — A longtime Plymouth School District employee is in hot water with the district after officials say he stole goods from the district to sell at his personal business on Cape Cod.

Patrick Van Cott, 62, of Sandwich, was arraigned Friday on two larceny charges. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, but is not allowed on Plymouth School District property, the Plymouth District Attorney and school district said.

An investigation alleges that Van Cott ordered items like lobster meat, high-quality beef and appliances to run the Sandy Neck Snack Shack in Barnstable. The items ordered through the district never made it to school buildings, officials said.

In total, officials believe the total purchasing price was over $8,000.

It appears this was uncovered when Van Cott was seen on surveillance footage removing commercial grade refrigerators from a school building over a weekend in May and driving them across the Sagamore Bridge, officials said.

Then, last week, officials searched the snack shack and found school property, officials said.

The district released a statement following the news, stating that they can't comment on the case but noting that they're working with law enforcement and have taken "appropriate personnel action."