Ex-Cartersville officer accused of stealing money from evidence room
A former Cartersville police officer faces theft and forgery charges following a GBI investigation into the department's evidence room. (Credit: Cartersville Police Department)
CARTERSVILLE, Ga. - A former Cartersville police officer is behind bars after state investigators said she stole money from the department's evidence room.
What we know:
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) arrested 61-year-old Donna Jean Kelley of Cartersville on Thursday.
Cartersville police first requested state assistance on May 27 after noticing missing money in their evidence storage. GBI investigators determined Kelley stole the funds while working as an officer and serving as the department's evidence custodian.
She was booked into the Bartow County Jail on charges of violation of oath, first-degree forgery, and felony theft by taking.
What we don't know:
The exact amount of money stolen from the evidence room remains unclear.
Authorities have also not specified how long the theft was going on before department officials noticed, or whether any criminal cases were compromised as a result.
What you can do:
Authorities urge anyone with information about the case to contact the GBI's regional office in Calhoun at 706-624-1424 or submit an anonymous tip online.
The Source: Information in this story came from a news release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.