A former manager at a popular Ferndale restaurant allegedly used his good reputation to carry out a big money betrayal.
Ferndale Police say Timothy Martin, 38 from the Village of Willis Township, is now charged with breaking and entering.
People who worked with him when he was a manager at popular Ferndale restaurant Rosie O’Grady’s thought he was a trustworthy man. His old boss apparently trusted him so much, that when he left the company, he didn’t change the safe code.
Martin then returned to the business.
“It doesn’t sound like he expected anyone to be in the building that early, around 6 am on a Sunday,” said Baron Brown, Public Information Officer for the Ferndale Police Department.
He got a bit of a surprise when he ran into a janitor cleaning the business. He then improvised.
“The suspect pretty much told him why he was there, ‘I am going to take the money out of the safe.’ He offered him $2,000 to step out of the building while he did it,” said Brown.
That janitor took the money and hid it in an area in the patio by the restaurant. After a current manager got to the restaurant, he said what happened. He spoke to police, helping them piece together what happened.
“His conscience and the thought of catching the case on this got the better of him, and he told us what was going on,” said Brown.
Police then went to work to prove the janitor’s story. The suspect stole DVR’s to destroy video evidence of the crime, but police say he forgot about some cameras.
Once they had evidence police say they realized the man traveled to Ohio. Ferndale Police somehow obtained through the investigation some of his personal property. To save themselves a drive they called him up.
“We just asked him if he wanted some of his personal property back, and if he did come and get it,” said Brown.
When he did, they arrested him.
Martin now has been charged with breaking and entering. He is free after posting a $50,000 bond. He entered a not guilty plea.
