Man Accused Of Stealing $152K From Employer: Meriden Police

MERIDEN, CT — A man is accused of stealing more than $152,000 from his employer in Meriden, according to police.

An investigation was launched in December 2021 after the owner of Lunker City in Meriden, a fishing and outdoor sporting goods business, reported to police that he believed one of his employees stole more than $152,000 from the company. The owner of Lunker City had entered into an agreement with the employee in 2012 that allowed him to create an outside packaging service that would then become a subcontractor for Lunker City, according to police.

“The employee, Robert Lynch, began billing the company for work completed by his outside packing company,” police wrote in a news release. “Lynch later began billing Lunker City for work that his packing company had not completed. Due to Lynch’s position within the company, he was able to create fraudulent invoices that he would then enter into the company’s system for payment to himself.”

The owner of Lunker City realized near the end of 2021 that the amount being paid out to Lynch “far exceeded his packaging ability,” according to police.

Police said a forensics audit of Lunker City’s accounts found that there was more than $152,000 in loss to the company.

Police obtained an arrest warrant for Lynch, who was taken into custody by police in Westerly, Rhode Island on Sept. 13.

Lynch was extradited and brought back to Meriden on Tuesday, Sept. 20 and charged with first-degree larceny. He was held in lieu of a $152,000 bond.