DA: West View Woman Stole from Girl Scouts

The Allegheny County District Attorney's office is charging a West View woman with stealing $4,818 from the West View/Perry Service area, a community of 15-20 Girl Scout Troops in the West View & Perrysville area.

Teresa Gatto, 44, was released on an unsecured bond after her arraignment Wednesday before Magistrate Richard Opeila.

According to the criminal complaint, Gatto volunteered as a service manager for the troop, which hosts a summer camp for girls ever year. In her position, Gatto had access to a bank account that was meant to pay for patches, life guards, facilities fees and supplies for activities.

Detectives said other Girl Scout volunteers became suspicious after Gatto made excuses for not producing bank statements.

"She was not getting the statements in the mail," investigators with the Allegheny County district attorney's office wrote in a criminal complaint. "At any time when a volunteer would question the actor regarding anything related to money or expenses, she would get irate and not speak to them for long periods of time."

According to the criminal complaint, other volunteers became suspicious and went to the bank in the spring of 2012 when they discovered the account balance was $38.67. "They were shocked to find many checks payable to cash or the actor," detectives wrote.

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