Nursery Director Allegedly Withdrew Thousands with ATM Card

The former director of St. Mark's Nursery School allegedly stole thousands from the facility using a company card, according to court documents.

Lisa Wallace, 41, of 997 Main St. Apt. 15 in Wakefield, Mass. was arrested on a warrant June 6 and charged with theft by unauthorized taking. Her bail was set at $5,000 personal recognizance.

According to the complaint from Derry District Court, Wallace began working at the school in Sept. 2008. In 2011, she was added to a checking acount set up by the Diocese of Manchester in the names of Frederick J. Pennett, Jr., the pastor of the St. Mark's Church, and Leon F. Abbott, Jr., the deacon of the church.

As the result of an investigation conducted by Londonderry Police Detective Kristen Gore, it was determined that Wallace totaled 80 transactions between June 2011 and June 2012 with a St. Mary's Bank debit card issued to her.

A separate card was also issued to Sarah Garofalo, a co-worker of Wallace and a teacher at the school. Garofalo was also added to the account as an authorized user.

Garofoli is not suspected of any criminal conduct in this case.

According to the complaint, 10 of those 80 transactions were made in Londonderry and could not be explained. Seven of the transactions were ATM cash withdrawals at St. Mary's Bank. Three other purchases included a local nail salon, T.J. Maxx clothing store and Dunkin' Donuts.

In total, Wallace allegedly racked up $1,576.70 in unauthorized purchases. The 80 transactions totaled $15,571.06.

She was reported to Londonderry Police on April 2 by David Gabert, who serves as the director of parish and schoool financial services for the Diocese of Manchester. Gabert had been called in by the Diocese to handle the internal investigation regarding the missing funds.

Wallace notified the parish on May 21, 2012 that she was resigning, and her last day of employment was June 7, 2012.

Her departure came after Pennett decided in the summer of 2011 to have the nursery school payroll completed by the parish bookkeeper. That plan was set in motion in the spring of 2012.

According to the documents, Wallace didn't turn in the debit card after leaving the school. Four days later, on June 11, 2012, she reportedly made eight rapid-fire cash withdrawals at a Wakefield, Mass. ATM totaling $2,400.

That same day, Wallace used the bank card to purchase $555.86 worth of groceries at Shaw's Supermarket in Wakefield.

The documents indicate that Wallace made no effort to pay back, or attempt to pay back her unauthorized transactions during her employment, nor did she notify anyone that her card was lost or stolen. She was never given permission by either Pennett or Abbott to withdraw money from the account or make purchases for personal use.

According to an internal policy within the church, duel signatures were required on checks issued/received by the school with the secondary signers being Pennett or Abbott.

"The bank statements were received online and reconciled by Lisa Wallace," reads the report. "In the internal investigation it was found that there were no bank reconciliations from June 2011 through June 2012. That is, there was no evidence found that the bank balances shown in the online bank statements from the St. Mary's Bank were compared or reviewed to the records/bookkeeping of the account kept at the nursery school by Lisa Wallace."

No monthly bank statement was printed out by Wallace, which was also common practice at the church.

Before her arrest, Wallace agreed to interview with Londonderry Police on May 28. Police were contacted that day by her attorney, who advised that Wallace would not be submitting to an interview.

Wallace has no previous criminal record. She has another job in Reading, Mass., which she has held for the last three months.