Restaurant Manager Fired After Alleged Theft of $6,000

West Des Moines Police detectives are looking for a former shift manager at Joe’s Crab Shack, 130 S. Jordan Creek Pkwy., who is suspected in the theft of more than $6,000 over an eight-month period.

Darrin Wayne Stevens, 34, of 210 80th St., was fired from his job Saturday after an internal investigation by Joe’s Crab Shack.

Michael T. Wright, the restaurant chain’s director of operations, alleged that Stevens is responsible for the theft of $6,182.80 from about March 20 to Nov. 13, according to a report filed by West Des Moines Police Officer Jason Hatcher.

Wright told Hatcher that an automated system known as Aloha Restaurant Guard detected Stevens’ alleged thefts and issued a scam alert. According to Wright, servers would collect customers’ bills throughout their shifts, then turn the receipts along with detailed paperwork over to Stevens, the shift manager.

Wright alleged that Stevens then altered the books, discounting numerous meals and services, and ‘“would pocket a lot of money that was intended to go to Joe’s Crab Shack,” according to the report.

Wright told police that Stevens’ records appeared to be proper, but the alleged theft was eventually detected by the anti-scam software.

Stevens’ whereabouts is unknown. He began working at Joe’s Crab Shack in late February or early March and quickly became a shift manager, according to the police report.